MX5-Jubilee-Magazine

3rd 

NC 

GENERATION 

MK III 

CODENAMED 

A QUARTER CENTURY OF FUN 

Thank you to almost 1 million customers for making 

the Mazda MX-5 the world’s best-selling roadster 

of all time. Here’s to 25 years of driving fun, and 

here’s to 25 more. 

2nd 

NB 

GENERATION 

MK II 

CODENAMED 

1st 

GENERATION 

MK I 

NA 

CODENAMED 

MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE A QUARTER-CENTURY OF FUN 

ONE MODEL 

THREE GENERATIONS 

TWELVE CONCEPTS 

MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE 

GENESIS 

THE STORY BEHIND THE WORLD’S BEST 

SELLING TWO-SEATER CONVERTIBLE 

MOTOR SPORT 

THE MOST-RACED PRODUCTION 

CAR ANYWHERE 

ROAD TRIP 

BACK TO THE ROOTS 

OF THE ROADSTER

EDITORIAL 

THE MX-5 IS 

DEFINED BY 

MANY NUMBERS. 

TOGETHER, THEY 

MAKE UP THE 

FORMULA FOR 

THE WORLD’S 

MOST POPULAR 

SPORTS CAR. 

MX-5 IN FIGURES 

12 

The fastest retractable 

hardtop in the world. 

SECONDS 

100 

The distance from which 

a typical MX-5 silhouette 

had to be recognisable 

during NB and NC design 

development. 

metres 

10,000 

MX-5 owners’ club members 

across Europe. 

more than 

58% 

Pro portion of all body components 

on the third-generation 

MX-5 made of high or ultrahigh 

strength steel, thereby 

reducing the total weight of 

the body by 10kg. 

1,600 

How many MX-5s gathered 

(along with some 2,600 fans) 

at Mazda’s Miyoshi Proving 

Ground near Hiroshima to 

celebrate the roadster’s 20 th 

anniversary. Although not an 

official record, it’s certainly 

the biggest assembly of 

MX-5s ever heard of. 

MX-04 

A 1987 concept designed in 

Japan and presented at that 

year’s Tokyo Motor Show. 

It was a modular car that 

could be transformed by 

changing body panels. 

The MX-04 featured a 13Bseries 

rotary engine and 

all-wheel drive. 

47% & 22% 

Respective increases in 

torsional (twisting) and 

flexural (bending) stiffness 

on the NC MX-5 compared 

to its predecessor. 

683 

The number of MX-5s in the 

largest parade of Mazda 

cars, a Guinness World 

Record set at the RDW Test 

Centre at Lely stad, the 

Netherlands, on 19 June 

2013. It broke the previous 

record of 459 set in 2010 

in Essen, Germany, and the 

inaugural record in 2005 

of 249 cars from Auckland, 

New Zealand. 

208 

Awards to date worldwide. 

50:50 

The perfect weight distribution 

between the front and 

rear axles in both the soft 

top and retractable hard top 

versions of the NC MX-5. 

900,000 

The 900,000 th MX-5 was 

produced in February 2011, 

breaking its own Guinness 

World Record. The figure, 

which surpassed 920,000 

units in December 2013, is 

expected to reach 1 million 

by 2015. 

44% 

Mazda’s “gram strategy” 

involves a meticulous 

process of scrutinising every 

component of the car to 

trim unnecessary weight. 

For example, the stainless 

steel exhaust system is 

44 per cent lighter than a 

cast iron version, and 8kg 

was cut thanks to a new 

blow moulding technique for 

the bumper. Another 360g 

was saved by trimming 1mm 

off of the welding flanges on 

all body panels. 

3,000 

The number of MX-5s being 

raced around the world, 

making it the single mostraced 

model on the planet. 

more than 

The story of Mazda’s MX-5 is a story about mastering two time 

frames: an instant and 25 years. That split second when this 

car first meets the eye, and the trusted feeling of it still being 

around after such a long time. One could even argue that the 

MX-5 transcends these time frames. Because even after a quarter century, 

people always seem to remember the first time they laid eyes on one. 

I say this from personal experience. I first saw an MX-5 back in 1990 when 

I was a graduate student at the University of Michigan. The top was down 

as the little Mariner Blue Miata rounded a corner by the State Theatre in 

Ann Arbor. It was snowing. I got it immediately, as countless others have 

before and since. And after 25 years, the MX-5’s purpose remains crystal 

clear – in an instant. 

Flourishing for so long in fundamentally the same form has been a 

balanc ing act between looking ahead and thinking traditionally. About 

always delivering attractive and addictive yet affordable sports car fun 

– and with it an all-around satisfying ownership experience – but at the 

same time keeping up with the times and the expectations of car buyers 

around the world. This is what makes the MX-5 so one-of-a-kind, and it’s 

why this car has a thriving fan base that is as diverse as it is loyal. They 

come from all walks of life: generalisations don’t work here. Some have 

always been roadster fans, but – more remarkably – the MX-5 has sparked 

a passion in far bigger numbers of those who are new to the world of 

convertible sports cars. 

The MX-5 has been evoking a powerful emotional response for 25 years. 

I know. I drove one to work every day after I moved to Hiroshima in 2000. 

It was British Racing Green with tan leather and a wooden steering wheel 

and gear shift knob. One benefit of being a Mazda insider was driving that 

car, top-down, soaring 30-plus metres above Hiroshima Bay across the 

bridge linking the two main districts of Mazda’s Hiroshima complex. So like 

just about anyone who has ever driven an MX-5, I too fell in love with it. 

It’s not the fastest or fanciest sports car out there, but the blend of design, 

handling, reliability and accessibility have made it a modern classic, as 

confirmed by almost 1 million new car buyers and clubs of MX-5 fanatics 

in every corner of the world. 

For Mazda, getting the cult roadster from the idea stage to the stage of 

the 1989 Chicago Auto Show was a long and challenging process. But the 

MX-5 was also a logical step from a company that had already given the 

world rotary-powered sports cars – a company made up of rebels with a 

cause. Since then, the MX-5 has come to be synonymous with what the 

Mazda brand stands for: the unfiltered Jinba Ittai connection between car 

and driver, proudly experienced 

down a road less travelled. The 

MX-5 is at the core of Mazda’s soul. 

Jeffrey H. Guyton 

President & CEO, 

Managing Executive Officer, 

Mazda Motor Europe 

3

01 

THE REBIRTH OF 

THE ROADSTER 

02 

THREE GENERATIONS, 

ONE ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY 

03 

DESIGNING AN ICON 

04 

THE VIEW FROM OUT THERE 

05 

LIVING THE MX-5 

06 

MX-5 FACTS 

A STAR IS BORN 

Getting the MX-5 to market | 6 

INTRODUCTION 

Three generations of roadster | 14 

DESIGN 

Got the look | 46 

ROAD TRIP 

Back to roadster country | 58 

COUNTRY STORIES 

Getting with the scene | 68 

RELIABILITY 

It just keeps going… | 76 

INTERVIEW 

Takao Kijima | 9 

GENERATION ONE 

The original MX-5 | 16 

INTERVIEW 

Ikuo Maeda | 48 

MEDIA QUOTES 

An encouraging perspective | 66 

MOTOR SPORTS 

A sports car through & through | 72 

AWARDS 

And the winner is... | 78 

REINVENTING THE ROADSTER 

…with the British originals | 10 

GENERATION TWO 

A class by itself | 26 

INTERVIEW 

Shunji Tanaka | 49 

MX-5 ON THE SCREEN 

Films & video games | 82 

THE GENESIS 

The architect & the visionary | 13 

GENERATION THREE 

Bigger, wider, faster | 36 

CONCEPT CAR HISTORY 

Exploring the potential | 50 

MX-5 FILES 

Evolution of a legend | 83 

LIMITED EDITIONS 

The best of | 54 

IMPRINT 

MAZDA MX-5 25 TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE - 2014 

Publisher: 

Mazda Motor Europe GmbH - Public Relations 

Hitdorferstr. 73 - D-51371 Leverkusen – Germany 

www.mazda-press.com 

Special thanks to: 

Alain Petit (club MX-5 France) and 

Mazda Automobiles France (three generations) 

Autolink and Mazda Motors UK (road trip) 

Hideki Imai and Masato Miura (MZ Racing) 

Ikuo Maeda, Takao Kijima, Shunji Tanaka 

and the Mazda PR community in Japan, 

the USA and Europe 

4 5

01 

THE REBIRTH OF THE ROADSTER 

The Mazda MX-5: 

Today a household 

word among car enthusiasts 

across the 

globe. Back in 1979, 

however, what would 

become the world’s 

favourite sports 

car was little more 

than an idea. 

The seed was planted in 1979 

at Mazda headquarters in 

Hiroshima by an automotive 

journalist named Bob Hall. 

“Hall-san, what sort of car should we 

build next?” asked Kenichi Yamamoto, 

then head of R&D at Mazda, during a 

conversation in conference room 401. 

“An inexpensive sports car,” answered 

Hall, an American who had been 

brought up around MGs, Lotuses and 

Triumphs. He loved them, but was irritated 

by their poor reliability. “A simple, 

bugs-in-the-teeth, wind-in-the-hair, 

classically-British roadster.” Hall made 

a rudimentary sketch of an open-top 

two seater on a chalkboard, and it 

struck a chord with the Mazda executive. 

A process was set in motion. 

It would be a long process, however, 

before the global premiere of the 

first Mazda MX-5 production model at 

the 1989 Chicago Auto Show. There 

would be a lot of persuading to do. 

The number crunchers at Mazda were 

opposed: niche models, after all, are 

uneconomical. 

But the advocates of such a vehicle 

knew what they wanted and thought 

it could make money. Above all, the 

car would have to be lightweight (the 

engineers’ motto for the project was 

“LWS” for lightweight sports car). It 

needed sufficient power to be fun. 

It needed to sound good. And, of 

course, it had to look beautiful. At the 

inner core of the little roadster was 

the traditional Japanese Jinba Ittai 

concept of “rider and horse as one”. 

This is at the source of the fun-todrive 

qualities that would make the 

little roadster such a success. 

Backing a winner 

The parameters were set, but it would 

not be until Yamamoto’s 1984 promotion 

to president of Mazda Motor 

Corporation that the project got the 

support it needed. An internal competition 

was held to determine what kind 

of lightweight sports car it was going 

to be. Three formats came into consideration: 

front engine, front-wheel 

drive (FF); mid-engine, rear-wheel 

drive (MR); and front engine, rearwheel 

drive (FR). 

By this time, passenger cars around 

the world were moving en masse to FF 

layouts. Although considered by many 

to be the antithesis of a true sports 

car, FF’s big advantages were the flex 

ibility of engine-drivetrain combinations 

as well as the ease and costeffectiveness 

of building such a car. 

The MR layout, meanwhile, was a 

darling of racing and exotic sports 

car enthusiasts for its superior driving 

dynamics. It also allowed an FF 

powertrain to be adapted with relative 

ease. Then, of course, there was the 

classic FR sports car: like many of 

Hall’s British two-seaters, something 

for purists. 

Resources were limited. After all, 

the anticipated production volumes 

did not justify a major development 

outlay. Particularly for an engine. A 

rotary was not considered for cost 

reasons and also because its output 

meant it was earmarked for bigger, 

pricier models. Power, like many other 

components, would have to come off 

the volume parts shelf. The 16-valve 

1.6-litre from the front-wheel drive 

Mazda 323 seemed promising for 

a small, light and affordable car. 

Details, details 

Until they turned it 90 degrees to install 

it longitudinally for the FR layout 

and realised that the protruding distributor 

interfered with the firewall. The 

problem was solved with some clever 

engineering and a little cash, but was 

symbolic of the sort of obstacles the 

development team would have to 

overcome. 

In any case, the engineers transformed 

the sedan engine into a 

rev-happy sports car powerplant 

with a 7,000rpm redline and a smooth 

engine power curve all the way up. 

Then they taught it how to growl like 

a roadster should. And transferred 

the 115PS to the real wheels using 

the five-speed manual from the 

Mazda RX-7, also an FR sports car. 

The suspension in the first running 

prototype – the “V705” built in 1985 – 

was patched together from older 

Mazdas. However, it was deemed 

unacceptable for the kind of handling 

and refinement developers were 

aiming for. With no suitable version in 

Mazda’s parts bin – the RX-7’s was too 

big – one would have to be designed 

from scratch. » 

Styling proposals for all three were 

submitted by three Mazda studios, two 

in Japan and one in California. In 1984, 

the FR concept designed at the latter 

was chosen, true to the spirit of the 

original roadsters. 

The shape of the third 

prototype, built in 1986, 

was already quite close 

to the production model. 

The famous sketch made in 

1979 by Bob Hall during a 

conversation at Mazda with 

Kenichi Yamamoto, then 

Mazda’s R&D chief. 

An internal competition was held in 1984 

to determine the look of Mazda’s future 

lightweight sports car. The winner was the 

front engine, rear-wheel drive design from 

the U.S. studio: The open-top two seater 

shown here with a detachable hardtop. 

The two other designs 

were two-seater coupes: 

one with front engine and 

front-wheel drive... 

…and the other with a midengined, 

rear-wheel drive 

layout. They were the work 

of two Japanese studios. 

6 MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY 7

01 THE REBIRTH OF THE ROADSTER 

A double wishbone setup was chosen 

for all four wheels for its superior 

dynamics. Not the simplest solution, 

but the most desirable under the circumstances. 

The engineers also added 

a power plant frame to rigidly connect 

the transmission and differential, making 

the car adapt to the driver’s commands 

faster and with more precision. 

Enhancing the sports car feel, this 

would become an essential technical 

element of the MX-5. 

Overcoming the odds 

The body, meanwhile, owes much 

to computer analysis technology, 

since it allowed the undermanned 

development team to come up with 

a lightweight yet rigid shell that 

would meet the latest safety requirements. 

Toshihiko Hirai, a relatively 

young Mazda engineer who became 

programme manager in early 1986, 

happened to be a body engineering 

expert. His recognition of the potential 

of computer-aided design and engineering 

– something that didn’t exist 

in the 1970s as lightweight sports cars 

were being regulated into extinction – 

significantly accelerated development 

of the MX-5. 

Indeed, weight is the single most 

important trait of the MX-5. The 

engineers stripped off everything that 

was unnecessary, restraining their 

customary desire for more features 

and more output. This minimalist 

approach was, in fact, a key element 

of the little roadster’s fun-to-drive 

character, which was founded neither 

on big horsepower nor fancy engine 

control technology. 

By this point, however, there were 

still doubts as to whether the MX-5 

would ever reach production. Was 

there really a market for a lightweight 

sports car? To test this, a 

full-scale plastic body prototype was 

built and brought to the U.S., where 

it was shown to a selected group of 

car enthusiasts in spring 1987. 

They were thrilled. The overwhelming 

response from a group of experts 

in the world’s largest automobile 

market resonated with Mazda 

decision-makers. 

By April 1988, there were 12 MX-5 

prototypes in the U.S. Enamoured 

with the car’s short shift stroke and 

direct steering, the few journalists 

who were lucky enough to test drive 

them that summer demanded that 

Mazda builds this car. 

Mazda did, unveiling the production 

version in February 1989 in Chicago. 

The global rollout that began soon 

thereafter was a smashing success, 

and the rest is history. The history of 

a legend. ⁄⁄ 

The near-extinction 

of a sports car 

After their heyday in the 1960s, a 

combination of events would lead to 

the decline of the attractive, afford able 

roadster. 

Regulatory issues played a major 

role, especially in the U.S. The double 

whammy of stricter safety and emissions 

laws in the 1970s forced sports 

car makers to add weight while 

reduc ing engine output. There were 

even fears that convertibles would be 

banned entirely in this all-important 

market. And then there were the muchreported 

build quality and reliability 

problems with these types of cars, 

along with a lack of investment into development. 

All of this was exacerbated 

by deep financial troubles facing many 

of their manufacturers at a time in 

which the global automobile industry 

was undergoing major consolidation. 

The fate of the open-top sports car 

appeared to be sealed. And then along 

came Mazda… 

The fibreglass-bodied 

prototype shown during a 

customer test clinic held in 

California in 1987 was an 

overwhelming hit. 

Back in the eighties, 

Takao Kijima doing some 

benchmark testing in 

California. 

Interview:Takao Kijima 

The Engineer 

Takao Kijima was in charge of chassis 

development for the first-generation 

MX-5 and programme manager of the 

second- and third-generation models. 

What type of cars did you like in the 

1980s? 

“The second-generation RX-7. I deve - 

l oped the suspension for that car, and 

I put a great deal of passion into it 

because I was determined to surpass 

Porsche…” 

Why was the image of Jinba Ittai chosen 

as the inspiration for the MX-5? 

“Our aspiration was to create a oneof-a-kind 

fun sports car that moves 

exactly the way you expect it to, just 

like your hands and feet. In the product 

development process we came to 

focus on this idea of Jinba Ittai. It’s an 

expression that comes from a traditional 

Japanese ritual of horseback 

archery and was used to describe a 

masterful performance in which the 

horse and rider seem to literally become 

one body and move as a unified 

whole. We thought that if we could 

create a similar relationship between 

the car and its driver, it would surely 

be a fun car. We defined this philosophy 

as Jinba Ittai and personified it in 

the MX-5.” 

Why has a moderately powered 

engine always been part of the 

MX-5 concept? 

“We want the car to move exactly as 

the driver expects, so the amount of 

power must be easy to manage. More 

power does not necessarily mean 

more fun. The agility of the car comes 

for the most part from how light it is. 

If you have more power output, you 

end up needing bigger brakes and a 

stiffer body. As a result, the car gets 

heavier and duller.” 

How can such a car remain so 

exceptional for so long? 

“This model is still unique because we 

have never forgotten that the MX-5’s 

appeal is its Jinba Ittai feel, so we 

have consistently kept it lightweight 

and agile. Such a car is simply unique.” 

What is your fondest memory of 

driving an MX-5? 

“The greatest appeal of an opentop 

car is how it lets you feel at one 

with nature. Any time you drive the 

MX-5 through the countryside, you’re 

creating a fantastic memory. For me, 

crossing the Alps out of Austria was 

very special. I also have many great 

memories of driving through very 

picturesque locations all around the 

T. KIJIMA T. HIRAI N. YAMAMOTO 

The three programme managers who 

perpetuated the soul and spirit of the MX-5. 

world, such as Hawaii, during product 

launch events.” 

How is it possible to remain faithful 

to the basic principles of the car with 

today’s regulatory constraints concerning 

things like safety and CO 2 

emissions? 

“What is the goal for the technology 

you are developing? This is the question 

an engineer faces. In the case of 

the MX-5, there are many elements 

threatening the Jinba Ittai concept 

that is so important to our customers. 

Such as safety features, the need to 

meet environmental standards, and 

so on. Our mission as engineers is 

to make the necessary technological 

breakthroughs that will enable us to 

keep delivering Jinba Ittai despite 

these difficulties. At Mazda we are 

lucky enough to have engineers with 

the skill and vision to achieve this as 

well as the necessary support from all 

levels of the organisation. That is why 

the MX-5 remains such a winner.” ⁄⁄ 



Photo: Joe Windsor-Williams 

TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 

Produced: 1962-80 

Would prove exceptionally 

popular after following 

the Austin-Healey Sprite 

on to the fledgling market 

for small, inexpensive 

roadsters. 

LOTUS ELAN 

(original model) 


The Elan followed the 

minimalist philosophy of its 

creator, Colin Chapman, 

to reduce weight rather 

than add power. 

MAZDA MX-5 NA 


Brought open top 

two-seater fun into the 

modern age for a new 

generation of motorists. 

To appreciate where the 

concept of the Mazda MX-5 

originated, you have to 

travel back in time to the 

post-Second World War era, when 

roads were empty, fuel was cheap and 

for many, freedom was an open-top 

British roadster. 

In the late 1940s and 1950s, illustrious 

names like Austin-Healey, Jaguar, 

Lotus, MG and Triumph were honing 

their sports car-building skills. And 

by the 1960s, machines like the 

Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire were 

bringing driving thrills to the masses. 

They were affordable, light, nimble and 

loads of fun. Drivers the world over 

yearned to slide down into the cockpit 

of a British roadster, drop the roof and 

motor away into the sunset. 

Move ahead to the 1970s, and destiny 

would start taking its toll on the convertible 

culture. There were several 

factors, like the oil crisis and crash 

safety legislation that regulated some 

models literally off the road. The 

de pendability of these British models, 

meanwhile, had become a running 

gag. 

Nevertheless, people still remembered 

those roadsters fondly. Mazda 

even built one called the MX-5, 

making it lightweight, fun and at the 

same time ultra-reliable. And they did 

such a good job that it’s become the 

world’s bestselling two-seater sports 

car ever. Returning the favour after 

25 years, the MX-5 is now influencing 

British sports cars. ⁄⁄ 

Lotus and Triumph sketched the blueprint 

for the affordable British roadster. And 

Mazda’s engineers revived it – enduringly. 

10 

MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY 

11


Photo: Joe Windsor-Williams 

The two men who are the 

“fathers” of the original project to 

revive the lightweight sports car: 

Tom Matano and Bob Hall. 

Photo: Kevin Necessary 

MAZDA MX-5 

FRONTLINE MG 

LE50 

Launched: 2011 

Now in its thirdgeneration, 

the most 

successful roadster 

ever still has a bright 

road in front of it. 

MORGAN 3 

WHEELER 

Launched: 2011 

It looks like a restored 

MGB GT, but is in fact 

an all-new model with 

a modern MX-5 engine 

and gearbox. 

Just as Mazda reinvented 

the roadster, so Morgan 

reinvented its 3 Wheeler, 

which is based on the 

1920 Morgan Super Aero. 

MATANO 

HALL 

Left BMW for Mazda, 

where he designed the 

MX-5, MPV, MX-6 and 

third-generation RX-7. 

Today he owns an MX-5 

(NA) as well as an RX-7. 

The former journalist’s 

sketch and conversation 

with a senior Mazda 

executive got him hired 

to help create the world’s 

most popular sports car. 

Who’s inspiring whom? 

The MX-5 has come full 

circle, helping a couple 

of British classics adapt 

to the modern age. 

These two British sports cars 

have more in common with 

the Mazda MX-5 than meets 

the eye: The MG LE50 and 

Morgan 3 Wheeler both use MX-5 

components. 

The Morgan Motor Company turned to 

Mazda for a gearbox because, as the 

former said, nothing else came close 

to offering the lightweight engineering 

and perfect operation of the MX-5 

drivetrain. Resurrected in 2011, the 

550kg 3 Wheeler carries on Morgan’s 

lightweight tradition. Based on Morgan 

“cyclecars” built for nearly half a 

century before production ceased in 

the 1950s, driving one is like piloting 

an early fighter plane. Vintage motoring 

attire such as goggles, gloves and 

a scarf are obligatory. The steering 

wheel rests in the lap of the driver, 

whose elbow hangs outside the cabin, 

and the guttural V-twin engine growls 

like, well, a 2-litre V-twin. But amid all 

these historical sensations is the reassuringly 

smooth and direct-shifting 

five-speed from the MX-5. 

The MG LE50 also features an MX-5 

manual (a six-speed) connected to a 

specially tuned 160kW/218PS version 

of the MZR 2.0 engine from the current 

MX-5. The gearbox was chosen 

for being advanced, proven and 

reliable, but also because it weighs 

only 85kg. All this has been packaged 

by Frontline Developments into a new 

MGB GT body shell from British Motor 

Heritage, seam-welded for more stiffness. 

But the LE50 retains the charm 

of the original MGB GT, a hatchback 

coupé built from 1965 to 1980. With a 

little help from Mazda, it and the Morgan 

3 Wheeler are alive and well, and 

back on the road in the 21 st century. ⁄⁄ 

Tsutomu “Tom” Matano 

The Architect 

Hired by Bob Hall (right), Tom was the design chief who 

helped create the template for what would become the 

world’s favourite roadster. 

“It was my job to take the concept of a lightweight sports 

car and make it reality. When people ask me if I ever 

expected the MX-5 to still be around some 25 years later, 

I have to reply: ‘If you want me to be truthful, well, yes.’ 

That’s because when I originally set out to design the MX-5 

almost 30 years ago, I designed not one, but three generations 

of the roadster. I felt at the time that it was important 

to show how the car would evolve and develop over its 

lifetime — a lifetime that was meant to be 25 years. Back 

then I didn’t get the chance to imagine a fourth-generation 

MX-5, but make no mistake, I knew even early on that I 

was working on something that would one day become a 

legend. I have not been disappointed.” 

Bob Hall 

The Visionary 

Bob Hall was the product planner for the MX-5 and the 

man who first sold the idea of a lightweight sports car to 

Mazda. 

“I cannot say I was certain the MX-5 would be around for 

a quarter of a century, but I was positive the idea had legs 

because the concept of a lightweight sports car was then – 

and still is now – both relevant and desirable. Of course, 

the car’s been part of my life for much longer, ever since 

April 1979 with my scribble on a chalkboard at Mazda’s 

Hiroshima headquarters for Kenichi Yamamoto [then head 

of R&D and later Mazda president]. And the reason for its 

longevity? Simple, unlike the ’62 MGB that stayed in production 

for 18 years, Mazda had the foresight to keep the 

car up to date rather than just working with the old bones. 

It proves what you can do when you start with a good idea 

and have even better people to implement it.” ⁄⁄ 

12 


13

02 THREE GENERATIONS, ONE ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY 

1st 

GENERATION 

MK I 

CODENAMED 

NA 

2nd 

NB 

GENERATION 

MK II 

CODENAMED 

3rd 

GENERATION 

MK III 

CODENAMED 

NC 

A QUARTER CENTURY ON THE ROAD 

1989 

1990 

1991 

1992 

1993 

1994 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

2003 

2004 

2005 

2006 

2007 

2008 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

THE 1980s 

THE 1990s 

THE 2000s 

Excess, greed...big hair: There 

was nothing subtle about the 

1980s. Automakers, too, were 

producing brashly designed 

cars with sharp, hard edges 

and plenty of size. Yet as the 

decade came to a close, 

a new spirit emerged. The Berlin 

Wall fell, the Cold War ended 

and a new threat emerged: global 

warming. Automakers began 

building smaller, fuel-sipping 

models, and front-wheel drive 

had become dominant. 

As the 20 th century came to an 

end, the world was in the midst 

of a dramatic transformation. 

Much of Europe was overcoming 

the growing pains that 

followed the fall of the Iron 

Curtain. But rapidly advancing 

technology caused economies 

to prosper as the World Wide 

Web began its one-way rise 

to omnipresence. The period 

marked a new golden age for 

automobiles, too. Harnessing 

the growing power of computers, 

carmakers were building 

vehicles that boasted superior 

fuel economy as well as enhanced 

safety. 

A globalised world where offshoring 

and outsourcing became 

household words, the 2000s 

were turbulent times. The market 

stability of the 1990s gave way 

to volatility in the decade that 

brought you euro notes, the 

war on terror, skyrocketing fuel 

prices and the rise of renewable 

energy. The internet went mobile, 

and one disruptive technology 

after another changed the order 

of things as the generation of 

“digital natives” who never knew 

a disconnected world started 

growing up. Some thought the 

world was going to end. It didn’t. 



FFor Mazda’s designers and engineers, 

1989 capped off years of 

development and innovation, 

nurturing an idea sketched on 

a chalkboard by Bob Hall a decade 

earlier. The very first Mazda MX-5 production 

model was about to hit showroom 

floors. And the stakes were high. 

Few thought a lightweight two-seater 

would find a commercially viable niche 

among growing ranks of buyers more 

concerned about practicality and fuel 

economy than driving a flashy car. A 

roadster was simply unconventional 

for the time. 

Proving the sceptics wrong, the 

MX-5’s daring design and innovative 

engineering, with a (smallish) front engine 

and rear-wheel drive layout (FR), 

blew away the notions that existed at 

the time of what a successful sports 

car should be. » 

The birth of an icon: The original 

NA MX-5 was the car that revived the 

virtually extinct roadster segment. 

With its round corners, pop-up headlamps, 

all-around lightness, and a facial 

expression that sticks in the mind like 

a classic radio hit, the first-generation 

model was an instant sensation everywhere 

it went. Affordable, reliable and a blast 

to drive. What more could one want? 

Generation one: 

The original MX-5 

In 1989, a new breed 

of sports car arrived 

for a new world 

16 MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY

What the first MX-5 so 

brilliantly embodied was the 

idea of a traditional roadster, 

but for a new age. Its design 

was beautifully minimalist 

and its engineering masterful, 

with a perfect combination of 

power, handling, fuel efficiency 

and reliability, too. 

The naysayers were wrong. Fun to drive with irresistibly 

charming looks, legions of fans immediately lined up to 

buy one when it made its debut in 1989, first as the Miata 

in North America and then as the Eunos Roadster in Japan 

before arriving in Europe in 1990. Originally forecasting mod 

est sales, Mazda quickly had a hit on its hands, selling not 

a few hundred units a month but rather several thousand. 

Flowing lines 

Unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1989, the 

MX-5 diverged from other two-seaters of time – rare as they 

were – like the Toyota MR-2, the soon-to-disappear Fiat X-1/9 

and the North America-only Pontiac Fiero. Neither midengined 

nor square and wedgy, the MX-5 featured rounded 

aerodynamic lines that would usher in a new age of automotive 

design. And it would prove far and away more popular 

than any of them before or since. 


A little less than four metres in length, the MX-5 was 

small and certainly wouldn’t be described as roomy. But 

that was by design. The smaller, the better, thought its 

architects. No space would be wasted. The convertible 

MX-5 was their incarnation of Jinba Ittai, which loosely 

translates as “rider and horse as one”. 

What the first MX-5 so brilliantly embodied was the idea 

of a traditional roadster, but for a new age. Its design was 

beautifully minimalist and its engineering masterful, with 

a perfect combination of power, handling, fuel efficiency 

and reliability, too – something 1960s roadster fans 

certainly would appreciate. Tipping the scales at 955kg, 

Mazda’s design team overcame one of the biggest obstacles 

in reviving the lightweight roadster: modern safety 

regulations. 

Costing DM35,500 in Germany and around $14,000 

in the U.S. at its launch, the MX-5 was affordable, too. 

Under its aluminium hood, the 1.6-litre inline fourcylinder 

offered plenty of pep. Able to summon 115PS » 

A TIMELINE 

OF INNOVATION 

1989 

1990 

1991 

1992 

1993 

1994 

1995 

1996 

1989 

British computer scientist 

Tim Berners-Lee 

writes a proposal for 

what would become 

the World Wide Web. 

1990 

Launch of the Hubble 

Space Telescope, which 

would provide detailed 

images of deep space 

and an even deeper 

understanding of our 

place in the universe. 

1991 

A University of Helsinki 

student named Linus 

Torvald invents Linux, 

the open source computer 

code that has 

become the backbone 

of the internet. 

1992 

Short Message Service 

(SMS), also known as 

texting, is developed 

by British engineer 

Neil Papworth. 

1993 

The MP3 digital audio 

format is invented, 

marking the beginning 

of the end for the reign 

of the compact disc. 

1994 

Ericsson develops 

Bluetooth wireless 

technology, launching 

a cordless and (more 

importantly) handsfree 

revolution for data 

exchange. 

1995 

DVDs are launched in 

Japan, changing how 

we watched home videos, 

while the world’s 

first web-based phone 

company makes free 

long-distance calls a 

reality. 

1996 

Never get lost again: 

The world’s first commercial 

GPS navigation 

system is launched. 

MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY 19


The right mix 

DEMAND AND SUPPLY 

and 135Nm of torque, the MX-5’s oomph-factor owed 

much to the B6-ZE engine’s modern electronic fuel injection 

and ignition systems. The 1.6 featured a speciallybuilt 

lightweight crankshaft and sump with cooling fins. 

A special cylinder head and double-overhead camshafts 

unleashed more power at a wider engine range, and 

the powerplant happily revved right up to its 7,000rpm 

redline. The MX-5 was both quick off the line, able to 

go from zero to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds, and responsively 

swift on the open road. A unique exhaust system, 

designed to provide an especially throaty engine roar, 

also gave it a bark to match the deliciously fun bite it 

delivered on a winding highway. 

The MX-5 was, in a nutshell, a blast to drive, with Jinba 

Ittai handling and responsiveness attributable to its low 

centre of gravity and a near ideal balance. The latter was 

achieved by the front mid-ship placement of the engine 

between the driver and front axle and the independent 

double wishbone suspension for each wheel. Add to that 

its compact five-speed manual with a short, high-mounted 

lever and precise gear travel along with direct steering 

and lightweight alloy wheels, and the MX-5 was truly a 

work of automotive art, as confirmed by its growing 

masses of adorers. 

With a winner on their hands from day one, developers 

did not stray far from the original recipe in 1994 when 

the MX-5 was given an upgrade. A more powerful 131PS, 

1.8-litre engine was added, featuring updates like a lighter 

flywheel, and the car’s already exceptional rigidity was 

also improved. Safety, too, was enhanced with side impact 

bars, ABS and airbags available in some markets. But the 

design and suspension remained virtually unchanged. 

Throughout its first eight years, the MX-5 remained an exhilarating 

drive that didn’t break the bank account. By the 

time Mazda began phasing out the first-generation in 1997, 

the MX-5 was well on its way to setting a new standard of 

success for a sports car. With sales rapidly approaching 

the half-million mark by the time the second-generation 

was launched in 1998, it had more than surpassed its creators’ 

wildest expectations. ⁄⁄ 

Canada 

16,644 

U.S.A. 

212,561 

Nobody could anticipate just how popular the MX-5 

would be when it was first launched. Mazda initially 

forecast total annual sales of 40,000 units, but it 

soon became blatantly clear this simply wasn’t 

enough. In Japan, for example, the expected turn over 

of a few hundred per month met with demand in 

the thousands. In Europe, meanwhile, independent 

importers were snapping up Miata-badged versions 

from North America and selling them at drastic 

mark-ups. And when the MX-5 did go on sale in 

Germany in 1990, the annual allotment of 2,000 

vehicles was sold out within days. 

* includes 12 prototypes made in 1988 

TOTAL 

PRODUCTION 

431,544 * 

Europe 

66,671 

Australia 

4,510 

Japan 

118,325 

20 MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY

The MX-5 was, in a nutshell, a blast 

to drive, with Jinba ittai handling 

and responsiveness attributable to its 

low centre of gravity and nearly ideal 

balance. Add to that its compact fivespeed 

manual, short, high-mounted lever 

and precise gear travel along with the 

direct steering, and the MX-5 was truly 

a work of automotive art.


TECHNICAL 

SPECIFICATIONS 

1989-1998 

1.6 (1989-98) 1.8 (1994-98) 

Displacement cm 3 1,597 1,840 

Transmission 

5-speed manual 

Max. power kW(PS)/rpm 85(115)/6,500 96(130)/6,500 

Max. torque Nm/rpm 135/5,500 152/5,000 

Top speed km/h 195 197 

0-100km/h secs 8.8 8.2 

Min. kerb weight kg 955 990 

Length/width/height mm 3,975/1,675/1,230 

Suspension (front & rear) 

Independent double wishbone 

MX-5 HYDROGEN ROTARY 

THE ELECTRIC MX-5 

ALTERNATIVE 

ENERGIES 

UNDER THE 

MX-5 BONNET 

The MX-5 is normally 

associated with peppy 

petrol power, but back 

in the 1990s, Mazda 

tested some unconventional 

prototypes. 

Rotary engines are well suited to 

burning hydrogen, which is why the 

hydrogen-powered MX-5 prototype 

used a modified RX-7 engine. The fuel 

was stored in aluminium canisters 

located in the boot. Performance was 

reduced in the name of efficiency, with 

a 0-100km/h sprint time of 13 seconds 

and 150km/h max. speed. 

This year-long test project was conducted 

with Japan’s Ministry of International 

Trade & Industry and Nippon 

Steel Corporation. 

16 nickel cadmium batteries (stored 

With 16 nickel cadmium batteries 

(stored in the engine bay and the 

boot) providing current to an electric 

AC motor, this MX-5 had a maximum 

range of more than 170km. Adding 

450kg, the car now weighed 1,410kg, 

which of course affected performance: 

0-100km/h in 21.5 seconds and a top 

speed of not quite 130km/h. 

Three prototypes were built in the 

early 1990s in collaboration with the 

Chugoku Electric Power Company. 



WITH THE BAR SET SO HIGH, THERE WAS A 

LOT OF ROOM FOR THINGS TO GO WRONG. 

MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT, THE NB 

MX-5 EVOLVED ITS SPORTY GROUND-HUGGING 

LOOK, ADDING FIXED HEADLAMPS AND A 

LITTLE MUSCLE. BUT HAPPILY THERE WAS NO 

DRAMATIC DEPARTURE FROM THE WINNING 

FORMULA. THE SECRET WAS IN THE DETAILS, 

WITH NUMEROUS TWEAKS MADE TO IMPROVE 

UPON A GOOD THING. IT’S NEVER EASY TO 

FOLLOW SUCH A HUGE SUCCESS. THANKFULLY 

IT TURNED OUT SO WELL. 

2A CLASS BY ITSELF 

GENERATION 

26 MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY 



FIXED OVAL HEADLAMPS 

WERE ONE OF SEVERAL 

MODIFICATIONS TO THE 

MX-5’S TRADEMARK 

FLOWING LINES AND 

ROUNDED EDGES. 

“We didn’t just rekindle 

an old flame. We threw 

gasoline on it,” says a 

1998 U.S. advertisement 

for the new Miata, as the 

MX-5 was known there. 

2 

The 1990s were an exciting time at Mazda. Midway 

through, the carmaker began preparing a new 

generation of its success story. Since debuting in 

1989, the Mazda MX-5 had single-handedly resuscitated 

the market for affordable sports cars. With hundreds 

of thousands of proud owners, the little roadster had 

started a revolution, and by the end of the century several 

competitors were trying to emulate its success. Mazda, of 

course, was determined to maintain its commanding lead in 

the segment with an exciting new model generation for an 

exciting new era. 

The design and engineering team faced a tremendous 

challenge: How to follow such a strong act as the original 

MX-5. For project manager Takao Kijima, there was no margin 

for error. But he was confident that by incorporating new 

electronics and lightweight materials, Mazda could indeed 

improve upon something that was already so good. 

Of course, one thing was certain. The Jinba Ittai driver-andcar-as-one 

spirit that was so central to the success of the » 

Evolution Orange 

was the launch 

colour for the secondgeneration 

MX-5. 

outgoing model must remain at the core of the second-generation 

roadster. After all, it was not just a question of how to build a better 

MX-5, but also of how to uphold the momentum of its 

wildly successful predecessor. 

ONWARD TO THE ROOTS 

Premiering at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1997, the new generation 

MX-5 was not a dramatic departure from the original, dimensionwise. 

Aside from minor tweaks and adding a few millimetres here 

and there, the new MX-5 stuck to the notion that a whole lot of 

driving exhilaration could be intelligently designed into a diminutive 

frame. 

The new vehicle was unmistakably an MX-5, the car a devoted 

fan base had come to know and love. While the overall weight 

increased a little, improvements on numerous fronts more than 

offset the modest tipping of the scales. When the new model 

rolled into showrooms in 1998, the first thing buyers noticed 

were the absence of the first-generation’s round pop-up » 



headlights, which had been replaced by fixed oval headlamps. 

It was one of several modifications to the MX-5’s 

trademark flowing lines and rounded edges. Overall, the 

new MX-5 had a more toned and muscular appearance, 

as if that cute little two-seater had filled out into a 

handsomer and more mature version of itself. 

The “eyes” and “mouth” of the new MX-5’s remained inviting 

as ever, only with more purpose and function. Painted 

polypropylene plastic bumpers front and rear emphasised 

a more natural flow to the body while at the same time 

enhancing safety – and saving almost 2kg. In fact, the 

engineers and designers turned every aspect of the project 

into an exercise in trimming excess kilograms. Thanks to 

computing advances, Mazda was able to analyse every 

millimetre of the new model to ensure each component 

was as light as possible. 

For example, the redesigned soft top was not only foolproof, 

but also weighed 1.3kg less despite having a defrosting 

glass rear window in place of the plastic original. The inner 

seat structure, meanwhile, cut 2.4kg. And getting rid of the 

pop-up headlights eliminated another 5.6kg along with the 

safety hazard they represented for pedestrians. 

THE NEW MX-5 HAD A MORE 

TONED AND MUSCULAR APPEAR- 

ANCE, AS IF THAT CUTE LITTLE 

TWO-SEATER HAD FILLED OUT 

INTO A HANDSOMER AND MORE 

MATURE VERSION OF ITSELF. 

DESIGN: 

THE NEW MX-5: 

A NATURAL 

EVOLUTION 

“No conceptual revision whatsoever,” 

said Koichi Hayashi, chief designer 

of the second-generation MX-5, when 

asked by an automotive writer to 

describe the new design concept. 

“Our team cherished the original 

MX-5’s inborn soul, which is perpetual, 

not a mere concept. And rather than 

‘exterior’ and ‘interior’, we believe the 

new car has ‘physique’, which is the 

structure, strength and form of the 

whole car.” 

Also a core member of the original 

model’s design squad, Hayashi started 

by defining the most emotional ingredients 

of the roadster, such as its 

simple, smooth surfaces and sensuous 

styling. 

Although the MX-5’s rear-end design remained relatively 

unchanged, maintaining the distinctive oblong tail-lamp 

clusters, the European model now featured integrated 

fog lamps. In the front, a larger air intake improved 

cool ing of the engines, which (alongside the entry-level 

1.6) now included a more powerful 1.8-litre delivering 

103kW/140PS at 6,500rpm and 162Nm of torque at 

4,500rpm. While the aluminium power plant frame 

remained the same as the first-generation, each engine 

component was subject to painstaking scrutiny and 

upgraded with new technology and materials whenever 

sensible. 

These alterations included a new precision aluminium 

cylinder head to house the twin overhead camshafts. 

The intake port was placed in a more upright position, 

contributing to better air flow and improving combus tion 

stability. But while many of the changes were small – 

Mazda had essentially got it right the first time – they 

all added up to more output and better fuel economy. 

And the aggregates remained straightforward, with 

no turbo or supercharger. » 

A TIMELINE OF 

INNOVATION 

1997 

1998 

1997 

The start of WiFi 

consumer technology 

helps cut the tethers 

of wires, ushering in a 

new era of couchbased 

web surfing. 

1998 

Stanford students 

Larry Page and Sergey 

Brin receive $100,000 

in seed funding and 

incorporate a search 

engine company called 

Google. 

1999 

2000 

1999 

Blackberry markets 

the first wireless email 

pager – the humble 

forerunner of today’s 

smartphone. 

2000 

Big things really do 

come in small packages 

after the arrival 

of the USB flash drive. 

2001 

Attack of the pods! 

Apple introduces the 

first iPod, bringing 

portable digital music 

to the masses. 

2001 

2002 

2002 

Sweeping was yesterday: 

The big brains at 

MIT invent the Roomba, 

a robotic vacuum. 

2003 

The European Space 

Agency launches its 

first unmanned mission 

to Mars, while China 

sends its first manned 

spacecraft into orbit. 

2004 

Facebook is founded, 

connecting “friends” 

around the globe. 

2003 

The course was set. Similar to the first 

MX-5, Mazda’s four design centres (two 

in Japan and one each in Germany and 

the U.S.) created their own proposal 

based on the same FMR configura tion 

and lightweight sports car princi ple. 

All four expressed the soul of the MX-5, 

differing only in the details. 

And there was one winner… 



INSIDE, THE ORIGINAL MX-5 

COCKPIT FEEL LIVED ON IN 

THE NEW GENERATION, EN- 

SURING THE DRIVER WOULD 

FEEL CLOSE TO THE ROAD. 

PRESERVING THE CHARM 

The new MX-5 was also safer. Besides the addition of a 

passenger airbag, the frame was upgraded to increase its 

strength, adding rigidity that also improved the already 

exceptional handling. 

Inside, the original MX-5 cockpit feel lived on in the new 

generation, ensuring the driver would feel close to the road. 

At the same time, however, designers sought to improve 

form and function, emphasising above all sight, sound and 

touch. The T-shape theme of the instrument panel made 

controls eas ier to see and thus operate while driving. Most 

models also featured a new retractable wind-blocker behind 

the seats to prevent air-flow turbulence when driving with 

the top down. This, too, made for a more comfortable and 

more enjoyable driving experience. 

officially certified by Guinness World Records as the best 

selling two-seater sports car in history. 

A 2001 model upgrade saw mostly minor design changes, 

like a new front fascia with reshaped air intake, and headlights 

and taillights slightly altered for a leaner look. 

Underneath the skin, variable valve timing and higher 

compression (10:1) boosted maximum output from the 

1.8 to 107kW/146PS and 168Nm, and with it performance. 

Top speed on the new sport model with six-speed manual, 

sports suspension with special Bilstein dampers and highperformance 

tires on larger 16-inch wheels was raised to 

208km/h. There was even a turbocharged 134kW/182PS 

MX-5 from the Mazdaspeed performance division, although 

this model wasn’t available in Europe. 

Handling, too, was 

quicker and more 

responsive: lockto-lock 

took only 

2.6 turns of the 

steering wheel. 

Intake and exhaust 

system enhancements 

hiked power output and 

torque: Both the 1.6 and 

1.8 were smoother revving 

and more efficient. 

Starting at DM35,500 in Germany – just like the original – 

the new MX-5 continued to be a people’s roadster, helping 

propel it to record-breaking heights. By May 2000, almost 

532,000 first- and second-generation MX-5s had rolled off 

the assembly line at Mazda. At this point the model was 

By 2004, overall global sales had surpassed 700,000 – overwhelming 

confirmation of the second-generation’s success. 

Mazda, however, still refused to rest on its laurels. Amid the 

ongoing innovation in an industry that never rests, Mazda’s 

developers embarked on their next challenge. ⁄⁄ 

Safety: The NB 

MX-5 featured a 

highly rigid body 

structure, seat 

belts with pretensioners 

and dual 

SRS airbags. 

The precise, 

short throws of 

the improved 

M-type five-speed 

manual would 

prove delightful 

to MX-5 owners 

everywhere. 

TECHNICAL 

SPECIFICATIONS 

1998-2005 

1998-2005 MZR 1.6 (1998-2001) MZR 1.8 (1998-2001) MZR 1.6 (2001-2005) MZR 1.8 (2001-2005) 

Displacement cm 3 1,597 1,840 1,597 1,840 

Transmission 5-speed manual 5-speed manual 6-speed manual 

Max. power kW(PS)/rpm 81(110)/6,500 103(140)/7,000 81(110)/6,500 107(146)/7,000 

Max. torque Nm/rpm 134/5,000 162/4,500 134/5,000 168/5,000 

Top speed km/h 195 197 191 205 208 

0-100km/h secs 9.7 8.5 9.7 8.5 8.4 

Min. kerb weight kg 1,015 1,025 1,035 1,065 1,100 

Length/width/height mm 3,975/1,680/1,225 

Suspension (front & rear) 

Independent double wishbone 

32 

MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY

BY MAY 2000, ALMOST 532,000 

FIRST- AND SECOND-GENERATION 

MX-5S HAD ROLLED OFF THE 

ASSEMBLY LINE AT MAZDA. 

AT THIS POINT THE MODEL 

WAS OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED BY 

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 

AS THE BEST SELLING TWO- 

SEATER SPORTS CAR IN HISTORY.


BIGGER 

WIDER 

FASTER 

The little roadster 

grows up 

but stays lean 

rd 

GENERATION 

The MX-5 NC continued to expand for 

the new millennium, not only in terms 

of size and power, but also with more 

electronics, comfort and convenience. 

And some strapping new lines, like 

well-earned symbols of experience 

and endurance. Still a lightweight 

sports car, though, it stayed honest 

to the true soul of the MX-5: A car built 

above all for driving. And a car that had 

clearly earned its status as a legend. 



The deeper grille and 

new bumper design 

from the 2012 facelift 

expressed a lower, 

wider stance and a 

more assertive face, 

while the new fog 

lamp bezels and chin 

spoiler also improved 

aerodynamics. 

Unsurprisingly, the technological revolution of the 2000s had 

also embraced the automotive industry. Navigation systems 

became ubiquitous, active safety began performing wonders 

and some models came with automated parking systems. Talk 

even started of cars that operate themselves. Was it the end of driving 

as we know it? 

Certainly not with the now-legendary MX-5. Part of the company’s 

successful formula was, of course, to keep up with the times, and the 

third-generation roadster launched in 2005 was no exception. Modern 

safety features included side airbags, dynamic stability control and 

larger brakes, while added comfort came in the form of a roomier interior 

with more storage and a larger 150-litre boot. Owners were also 

treated to the unprecedented convenience (at least for an MX-5) of 

keyless entry and start, a seven-speaker Bose premium audio system 

suitable for open-top listening, and a clever mechanism requiring just 

one hand to open and shut the soft top. 

2005 

2006 

2007 

2008 

The MX-5 has always 

been powered by inline 

four-cylinder DOHC 

engines, now in 1.8- and 

2.0-litre versions. Both 

came with a five-speed 

manual; the latter was 

also available with 

manual or automatic 

six-speeds. 

2009 

2010 

2011 

2012 

2013 

While retaining its classic roadster look, the MX-5 also got a more 

determined face than its predecessor. This was complemented by 

20mm of additional length, a 65mm longer wheelbase, a wider track 

and bigger and wider 17-inch wheels surrounded by boldly flared 

fenders. Yasushi Nakamuta, its designer, described the new model 

as a “synthesis of modernity and tradition.” It was more powerful, 

too, as the 93kW/126PS 1.8-litre engine was joined by a new 118kW/ 

160PS MZR 2.0-litre, available with the standard five-speed or a new 

precision shifting six-speed manual. The 1.6, meanwhile, was dropped 

for good. » 

A timeline 

of innovation 

2005 

Video-sharing website 

YouTube goes online, 

irreversibly changing 

the world of broadcasting. 

Instant fame 

is only an upload away 

(maybe). 

2006 

Nintendo’s Wii console 

with motion sensing 

technology brings 

together exercise and 

video gaming for the 

first time. 

2007 

Apple launches the 

first-generation 

iPhone, the start 

of the touchscreen 

revolution. 

2008 

Seeking to unlock the 

secrets of the universe, 

the Large Hadron Collider 

goes into operation 

near Geneva. It’s the 

highest-energy particle 

accelerator ever built. 

2009 

Beam me up, Scotty: 

The University of 

Maryland’s Joint Quantum 

Institute teleports 

the quantum state of 

one atom to another 

located a metre away. 

2010 

First it was spray-on 

cheese, then hair in a 

tin. Britain’s Fabrican 

takes spray-cans to 

new heights with aerosol 

applied fabrics. 

2011 

No animals harmed: 

Researchers at the 

University of Maastricht 

grow beef in 

a lab. 

2012 

Formlabs’ Form 1 

personal 3D printers 

bring the power of 

plastic production to 

the people. 

2013 

Motorola develops the 

password pill. Just 

swallow it and forget 

having to remember 

the password to your 

bank account. 


39

Faithful to its roots, the MX-5 remained 

a genuinely lightweight sports car: 

All the extras added up to a minimal 

weight gain vis-à-vis its predecessor, 

another demonstration of Mazda’s 

“gram strategy” to painstakingly 

reduce every possible bit of weight.


In tune with 

the times: 

Mazda’s got 

it covered 

As retractable hardtops became popular in 

Eu rope in the mid-2000s, Mazda too wanted 

to offer one for the MX-5. But without compromising 

any aspect of its little legend. 

What the carmaker came up with was an ultralightweight 

hardtop that, made from a synthetic 

composite material, added only 37kg when compared 

to a soft top MX-5. And not to be outdone 

by the competition, the three-panel top was (and 

still is) the fastest on the market, opening or 

closing in only 12 seconds. 

The MX-5 Roadster Coupe, as it is known in 

Europe, blends convertible flexibility with the 

practicality and comfort of a coupe. But what 

about the pure MX-5 fun factor? Happily, there 

is minimal difference. Despite the slight weight 

gain, Mazda preserved the car’s ideal 50:50 balance, 

maintaining the same handling with minor 

suspension alterations like larger front stabilisers 

and retuned spring and damper units. In fact, 

the car even has a slightly more comfortable 

ride than the soft top, with less interior noise, of 

course, especially at higher speeds. And what the 

heavier Roadster Coupe loses on the 0-100km/h 

sprint, it gains in top speed* thanks to better 

aerodynamics. 

As for the looks, designers kept the changes to 

a minimum to preserve the MX-5’s lightweight 

sports car aura. And they really are virtually 

imperceptible, with more prominent rear wheel 

arches, a 40mm higher rear deck and the boot lid 

raised by 20mm to smoothen the drop-off from 

the roof. The car is also 10mm higher overall, not 

that one would notice. While modern, the look 

remains true to the classic sports coupe. 

* sprint times and top speeds with the 2.0-litre and sixspeed 

manual: 7.9secs and 218km/h for the Roadster 

Coupe vs. 7.6secs and 213km/h for the soft top 

All the 

right moves 

But, faithful to its roots, the MX-5 remained a genuinely 

lightweight sports car: All the extras added up 

to a minimal weight gain (1,080kg in total) vis-à-vis 

its predecessor. It was another demonstration of 

Mazda’s “gram strategy” to painstakingly reduce 

every possible bit of weight during the model development 

phase. For example, by using aluminium 

for the double-wishbone front suspension as well 

as the bonnet and boot lids. And a bigger proportion 

of high and ultra-high tensile steels in, among 

other places, the body frame and A-pillars. Indeed, 

Mazda would extend such weight-saving measures 

to all next-generation Mazdas in a process that is 

ongoing today. 

And the driver still drives, which is a very good 

thing because the third-generation model further 

enhanced the classic FR layout for even better 

handling. Weight distribution was edged that much 

closer to perfection by pushing the engine a handwidth 

(135mm) towards the rear and relocating the 

battery and fuel tank nearer to the vehicle’s centre 

of gravity. A sports suspension featuring Bilstein 

dampers all around was now available for Sport 2.0 

models. At the same time, the new monocoque body 

shell delivered an even lower centre of gravity along 

with increases to torsional and flexural stiffness 

of 47 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively. 

The recep tion? Immediate and overwhelming. 

Continuing in the tradition of its ancestors, awards 

rolled in for the uncompromising new two-seater, 

including Car of the Year Japan 2005-2006 and 

Top Gear’s 2005 Roadster of the Year – among the 

first of 86 to date for the generation-three MX-5. 

Responding to market demand in 2006, Mazda 

in troduced the Roadster Coupe featuring a 

retract able power hardtop. And not just any 

top, either. Opening or closing in only 12 seconds, 

it’s still the fastest retractable hardtop around 

today, folding neatly away behind the seats 

without affecting boot space. 

Since then, the third-generation MX-5 has 

re ceived two facelifts. The first, in 2009, saw 

Mazda take Jinba Ittai one step further, starting 

with the power trains. The 2.0-litre’s redline was 

increased to 7,500rpm with enhanced sound and 

its six-speed manual upgraded for even smoother 

shifting. A six-speed automatic was also added 

for the 2.0. Together with improved aerodynamics 

brought about by mod ifying body shapes like the 

front bumper and side sills, these new MX-5s 

offered fuel efficiency gains of 4-7 per cent, 

depending on the gearbox. » 



The same 

MX-5, just 

better 

The suspension was updated, as well, to improve roll 

performance and provide a more natural linear response 

to steering input, particularly when cornering, 

as well as better ride quality overall. As for the looks, 

the most prominent changes included a sportier frontend, 

whose new headlamp design and five-point grille 

expressed the next stop on Mazda’s design roadmap. 

Then, in 2012, the roadster was given an even more 

aggressive visage as well as a reworked interior. Pedestrian 

protection was enhanced, this time with a new 

active bonnet system that automatically raises the 

hood during an impact to expand the crumple zone. 

The lower section of the front bumper was also reinforced 

to better protect people’s legs. Fine-tuned acceleration 

control delivered a more linear response to 

throttle input, especially at lower speeds. An en hanced 

vacuum brake booster, meanwhile, improved brake 

return control. All told, even better handling and even 

more fun: qualities the MX-5 has always stood for. 

After 25 years, as sales approach the 1-million mark, 

the best-selling roadster of all time continues to 

cement its place in history and put smiles on drivers’ 

faces. The MX-5 has always been honest: What you see 

is what you get. Mazda got it right the first time, and 

then kept getting it right. When asked if Mazda could 

make a go of it for another 25 years, Tom Matano, 

designer of the original MX-5, said: “They could if 

they do it right.” So far, so good. ⁄⁄ 

It’s all about 

balance, and 

the essence 

of perfect 

interaction 

Jinba Ittai or “rider and horse as one body”: The 

expression can be traced back to the Yabusame 

ritual, where a mounted archer shoots an arrow at 

a target while riding a horse, controlling the animal 

with his knees. Rider and horse need to perform 

in harmony if there is to be any chance of hitting 

bull’s eye. 

At Mazda, it is a philosophy that emphasises the 

communication and thus the connection between 

the driver and the car. Jinba Ittai served as guiding 

principle behind the driving behaviour of the MX-5. 

Hence the tight fit of the cockpit, particularly on 

the original model (this was deliberate), the direct 

responsiveness and feel (thanks to the unique 

power plant frame and exceptionally stiff body), the 

short and snappy gearshift stroke, and extremely 

effective braking. Even the MX-5’s look and sound 

oozes a sense of agility and dexterity. Instead of 

focusing on power and speed, developers worked 

to achieve the ideal of a balanced driving machine 

that delivers pure fun. 

Maintaining this balance over a period of 25 years 

has been a real battle at times: against bigger, 

heavier engines, against the horsepower faction 

and the culture – particularly in the U.S. – of “no replacement 

for displacement”. But Mazda has stuck 

with its approach, and with any luck always will. 

Photo : Alfie Goodrich 

Still making 

you smile 

after 25 years 

As a young engineer, Nobuhiro 

Yamamato recalls the infectious 

enthusiasm at Mazda for the lightweight 

sports car project. “I was 

sure the MX-5 would be a success, 

because I knew the passionate, talented 

engineers who were working 

on it,” he says. 

Now, 25 years on, the continued 

success of this iconic sports car is his 

mission and his passion. “I joined the 

project to work on the second-generation 

with Takao Kijima [programme 

manager of the second and thirdgeneration] 

and, when he retired in 

2007, the torch was handed to me. 

I feel an immense gratitude to all 

those who have bought an MX-5 and 

a duty to them to continue developing 

the car. There are five principles 

we will always retain for the MX-5. It 

must be light and compact, have a 

front-midship engine and rear-wheel 

drive, 50:50 weight distribution, a 

low yaw moment of inertia [agile], 

and be affordable. These ensure the 

MX-5 is fun to drive and accessible. 

We are not just making a vehicle, 

but an experience for our customers 

that puts a smile on their faces.” 

MZR 1.8 (2005- ) MZR 2.0 (2005- ) MZR 2.0 (2009- ) 

Displacement cm 3 1,798 1,999 

Transmission 

5-speed manual 

6-speed 

manual 

6-speed 

automatic 

Max. power kW(PS)/rpm 93(126)/6,500 118(160)/6,700 (7,000 from 2009) 118(160)/6,700 

Max. torque Nm/rpm 167/4,500 188/5,000 

Top speed (soft top / 

Roadster Coupe) 

0-100km/h (soft top / 

Roadster Coupe) 

Min. kerb weight* 

(2005 / 2009) 

km/h 194/198 212/217 213/218 192/194 

secs 9.9/9.9 7.6/7.9 7.6/7.9 8.5/8.9 

kg 1,080/1,075 1,095/1,090 1,100 

Length/width/height mm 3,995/1,720/1,245 or 1,255 (hard top) 

Suspension (front / rear) 

* add 37kg for Roadster Coupe version 

Independent double wishbone/ Multi-link 

Technical 

specifications 


45

03 DESIGNING AN ICON 

THROUGHOUT THREE GENERATIONS 

AND 25 YEARS, THE MX-5’S DESIGN 

HAS BEEN ONE OBVIOUS DRIVER OF 

ITS ONGOING SUCCESS. IT’S AMONG 

THE MAIN REASONS THIS CAR BECAME 

SUCH AN ICON. FROM THE TIP OF ITS 

FRONT BUMPER TO ITS TAIL LAMPS, 

WHICH WERE EVEN FEATURED IN 

THE NEW YORK MUSEUM OF MODERN 

ART’S 1995 “MUTANT MATERIALS IN 

CONTEM PORARY DESIGN” EXHIBIT. 

DESIGN 



03 THE DESIGNING AN OF ICON AN ICON 

Shunji Tanaka working 

on the original MX-5 

with his design team. 

“This is the 

car I want.” 

Shunji Tanaka 

Chief designer of the 

1 st generation MX-5 

“The car 

embodied 

the ideal 

shape of a 

lightweight 

sports car.” 

Ikuo Maeda 

Executive Officer & 

General Manager, 

Design Division 

What was your reaction when you 

first saw a production version of the 

first-generation MX-5? 

“That I can’t wait to get one! The car 

embodied the ideal shape of a lightweight 

sports car. Its appeal is instant: 

you immediately want to own one.” 

What is your favourite version 

of the NA? 

“The earliest 1.6-litre model. 

I used to have one.” 

Why did the first-generation MX-5 

become a design icon so quickly? 

“Because it had a finely honed form 

that was simple to understand. It 

expressed the car‘s most important 

attributes at first glance: lightweight 

and easy to handle.” 

What is it like as a designer to be 

responsible for the evolution of 

such a model? 

“You can’t maintain the value of the 

original simply by carrying over the 

image or style of its design. You need 

to carry over the spirit of the car. But 

at the same time, you have to significantly 

advance the expression of that 

spirit and raise it to a level of an icon, 

one that is capable of embodying the 

brand. I see this as my duty.” 

What are the character lines 

that make an MX-5 immediately 

recognisable? 

“The oval-shaped silhouette is 

the distinguishing feature. There 

are no particular character lines.” 

You are a motor sport fan and have 

raced many MX-5s. What makes the 

MX-5 so special on the track? 

“It’s not the fastest car on the track, 

but it’s so easy to manoeuvre and so 

much fun to drive. You can always 

learn more about driving from this 

car, because if you want to pull off a 

fast time, you need to have very good 

technique.” 

What was your involvement with 

NA’s development? 

“I was involved with advanced planning 

and design development for the 

original MX-5. Starting from a completely 

blank slate, we defined Mazda’s 

basic philosophy and spirit in regard 

to lightweight sports cars.” ⁄⁄ 

Ikuo Maeda is Mazda’s 

global head of design. He 

was in charge of the design 

teams that created 

the RX-8 and Mazda2, 

and also contributed to 

the original MX-5. 

What is your fondest memory of 

designing the first-generation MX-5? 

“It was around 1985 when I asked the 

marketing team what the potential 

sales volume for a lightweight sports 

car was in Europe and the U.S. The 

answer was zero for both markets. 

The volume for that type of car in 

Japan was 150 units per month, and 

the typical buyers were people who 

liked to be different. The facts spoke 

clearly against mass producing a lightweight 

sports car. However, I strongly 

believed that such a vehicle must 

have its proponents somewhere in the 

world. Because I personally wanted to 

drive one and feel the air in my face. 

I was working on a prototype, mostly 

in my spare time, and the then-general 

manager of the R&D division I belonged 

to told me that I was spending 

too much time on my hobby. So I 

asked him for a budget and told 

him that I would like to personally 

survey con sumers in the U.S. 

We shipped a plastic model to California 

and put it in the Anaheim Convention 

Center. Then we conducted 

a clinic with 350 randomly selected 

people; 60 per cent liked the car and 

80 per cent of those said they would 

consider buying it. And they were 

willing to pay $17,000 for it on average 

– $5,000 more than what we were 

estimating. When I brought this up at 

a subsequent management meeting 

and got a green light for the project, I 

was in absolute heaven.” 

The details of the MX-5 design story 

are fascinating. For example, can you 

tell us why you changed the wheelbase 

at an advanced stage in the 

design process? 

“The wheelbase was initially longer. 

This was because the layout meant 

that the only place we could put the 

battery was in front of the back wheel. 

I personally wanted to shorten the 

wheelbase to improve the car’s overall 

balance, which is also a good way to 

lower weight. We ended up locating 

the battery in the trunk and reducing 

the wheelbase by 32mm.” 

What is “Muromachi Dynamism”? 

“That is the philosophy behind the 

refined design of the original MX-5, a 

philosophy we based on our image of 

the Muromachi period, which was a 

dynamic era in Japan’s history. Japan 

began trading with the Europeans in 

the 16 th century, during the latter half 

of this period. It was a time of provincial 

wars in Japan, and also the time 

when Japan began opening up to the 

world. The huge cultural differences 

with the Europeans prompted the 

Japanese to look upon themselves as 

a unique culture with its own unique 

identity. I don’t think it would be too 

much of an exaggeration to say that 

the basis for modern Japanese culture 

was formed during the Muromachi 

period.” 

What do you feel now when you 

see an MX-5 on the street? 

“I feel that I would like to have a car 

like this. When you’re designing a 

vehicle, your concept is based on this 

vague image. And then you unleash 

your imagination. You start visualising 

beautiful scenery, and then a form 

starts to appear that’s a perfect fit for 

these surroundings. Occasionally I encounter 

an MX-5 in exactly the same 

setting I had imagined for it. It gives 

me a chill, but at the same time I’m in 

absolute bliss and feel blessed - more 

than a designer deserves.” 

How do you define a classic car? 

“Not by its age. What matters is 

whether the passion of its creators 

can outlive the era and if a car continues 

to appeal to successive generations 

on an emotional level.” ⁄⁄ 



Club Racer (USA) 

Premiering at the Chicago Auto 

Show alongside the original 

production model, this shouty 

bright yellow concept was a genuine 

head-turner. Designed by Mazda 

stylist Mark Jordan, the combination 

of body changes from the production 

model, including a six-inch spoiler 

and recessed headlights under 

plastic covers, and performance upgrades 

like Bilstein shock absorbers 

made it a winner with critics. 

“Dee-Lish”, as U.S. magazine 

Road & Track called it. 

1989 1995 

M Speedster (USA) 

Built to demonstrate just how much 

prowess could be housed under the 

hood of a diminutive two-seater, this 

concept featured a supercharged 200PS 

1.8-litre engine. The upgraded suspension 

and braking along with 215/50 ZR15 

tires with five-spoke alloy wheels helped 

channel all that speed and torque into 

an exhilarating driving experience. 

Although universally praised at its 

Chicago premier, the M Speedster’s 

low profile racing-inspired design was 

never translated into mass-production. 

Exploring 

the potential 

one concept at a time 

MAZDA’S DESIGNERS AND ENGINEERS HAVE 

ALWAYS PUSHED THE LIMITS OF FORM AND 

FUNCTION IN THE MX-5, WITH THE CREATIVE 

WORLD OF CONCEPTS AS THEIR PLAYGROUND 

OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. SOMETIMES RADICAL, 

THESE INTERPRETATIONS OF AN AUTOMOTIVE 

LEGEND WERE NEVER BORING. SOME PAID HOMAGE 

TO THE PAST, SOME TO THE WORLD OF MOTOR- 

SPORT. AND YET OTHERS OFFERED MX-5 FANS 

A HINT OF WHAT THE FUTURE COULD HOLD. 




1996 

M Coupe (USA) 

Until this coupe appeared, all previous MX-5s – concepts 

or production models – had been open-top or convertibles. 

Debuting at the New York Auto Show, the M Coupe 

featured a fibreglass bubble roof and twin round pop-up 

headlamps. Conceived by Tom Matano’s design team, MX-5 

fans loved its sleek lines, and rumours swirled for years 

that a production version would eventually hit showroom 

floors. This finally happened in 2003, albeit in a very limited 

Japan-only version called the Roadster Coupe. 

2003 

Ibuki (Japan) 

Meaning “to breathe new life” in Japanese, 

the Ibuki rendition of the MX-5 was certainly 

imbued with the spirit of regeneration when it 

first appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show. The 

only “pure” concept not based on an existing 

MX-5, its flowing lines and lightweight materials 

foretold what was to come for production 

models over the next decade. More than just a 

pretty face, the futuristic 180PS 1.6-litre Ibuki 

also featured an electric hybrid motor, regenerative 

braking and an idle-stop system. 

2009 

Superlight Version (Europe) 

Unveiled 20 years after the first MX-5 shook up the industry, 

this striking roadster renounced the windshield, 

making due with streamlined roll-bars to protect driver 

and passenger. Designed at Mazda‘s European R&D 

Centre in Oberursel, Germany, the Superlight’s MZR 1.8 

delivered “only” 126PS. It was both nimble and quick, 

however, thanks to its lightweight design (true to its 

name at only 993kg) and high-performance powertrain 

including Mazdaspeed cold-air intake and exhaust. 

2012 

MX-5 GT (UK) 

To commemorate the MX-5’s participation in the British GT 

Championship, designers of this 205PS looker took inspiration 

from Mazda’s GT4 race car, which went head-to-head with Lotus 

and Ferrari. Featuring an upgraded production model suspension 

that could be adjusted for different road conditions, the 

GT thrilled the MX-5 fan base when it debuted at the Goodwood 

Festival of Speed in England. The reaction prompted Mazda 

to build the GT Jota, a custom-made version available only in 

the UK. 

2000 

Roadster MPS (Japan) 

A vision of the future of the MX-5, the Mazda 

Performance Series concept incorporated the 

best racing technology from Mazdaspeed, the 

company’s high-performance arm. Featuring a 

200PS 1,930cm 3 engine, it foreshadowed performance 

upgrades on future MX-5s. Developed 

under the watch of Hirotaka Tachibana – one of 

the engineers behind the famous RX-7 – the MPS 

concept featured aluminium brake discs, adjustable 

suspension and a heavily modified body. 

Mono-Posto (USA) 

A single-seater (“monoposto” in Italian) 

focused 100 per cent on the driver, this 

concept was a radical expression of Mazda’s 

Jinba Ittai rider-and-horse-as-one view of 

driving. Its distinctly retro design featured 

a hood air intake, a mini-windscreen and an 

aluminium roll-bar. Under the hood, its 

custom HKS-built turbocharger, intercooler, 

intake and exhaust manifold delivered 

190PS – a perfect fit for its North American 

premiere at that year’s SEMA automotive 

aftermarket show in Las Vegas. 

2001 

Roadster Coupe TS (Japan) 

The design of the Coupe TS concept, 

which debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon, 

tips its hat to the 1960s Abarth Clubman 

racer series. Taking inspiration from classic 

Aston Martins and Fiats of that era, 

Car and Driver hailed the TS as “arguably 

the best-looking MX-5 to date.” Stiff 

suspension and 1960s-style low seating 

along with a roll-cage made this concept 

a dream coupe for amateur racers. A light 

blue version – the Circuit Trial – would 

wow fans at the Salon the following year. 

2004 

Super20 (USA) 

No other MX-5 – production or concept – packed as 

much punch as this brawny supercharged 2.0-litre 

243PS Cosworth beauty. Also celebrating the 20 th 

anniversary of the groundbreaking two-seater, this 

hardtop version with Mazdaspeed suspension and 

coilover shocks could pull more than 1g on the skidpad. 

It also featured high-performance brakes and 

a Racing Beat exhaust. The original matte carbongrey 

exterior with orange accents was updated for 

the 2011 SEMA in orange with grey accents. 

52 MAZDA MX-5 | 25 TH ANNIVERSARY 53 

2010 

Spyder (USA) 

With a lower profile and a wine-red soft top, this collaborative 

effort by Mazda North American Operations Design and Magna 

Car Top Systems was a perfect blend of form and function, 

combining elegant yet aggressive lines with a lot more headroom 

than you might think. Fuelled on isobutanol, a bio-fuel 

from Mazda’s racing programme, the 2.0-litre Spyder embodied 

Mazda’s pioneering design and engineering in other respects, 

too, like with its Mazdaspeed suspension and lightweight 

lithium battery specially designed for racing. 

2011 

Super25 (USA) 

Another motorsport-inspired concept, the Super25 was 

designed with endurance racing in mind, featuring PIAA 

40 Series halogen lamps in the front for adverse driving 

conditions, day or night. A Sparco racing seat, harness and 

steering wheel rounded out the full competition experience. 

Unveiled at SEMA, the Super25 featured a cherryred 

body with black and white accenting and the number 

“55” on its doors – a nod to the Mazda 787B’s historic 

victory at Le Mans in 1991. 

2012


JAPAN 

LIMITED 

EDITIONS 

THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN NO 

SHORTAGE OF SPECIAL EDITION 

MX-5s OVER THE PAST 25 

YEARS. WITH GOOD REASON: 

IT SEEMS THE WORLD CAN’T 

GET ENOUGH OF THEM. IN FACT, 

MANY ARE SOUGHT-AFTER 

COLLECTOR’S ITEMS TODAY. 

HERE A GEO GRAPHIC AND 

CHRONOLOGICAL SELECTION: 

BIG THINGS COME IN SMALL BATCHES 

A limited number of MX-5 special editions were 

developed under the charge of original concept 

designer Masakatsu Kato at M2, Mazda’s custom 

planning, research and development centre 

in Japan. 

Among the most sought after was the 1991 

M2-1001 Cafe Roadster (300 units) with racing 

inspired features like integrated fog lamps, a 

four-point roll bar and an upgraded 1.6-litre delivering 

131PS. The M2-1002 (100 units) arrived in 

1992 with an exclusive interior, followed in 1994 

by the performance-tuned M2-1028 (300 units). 

JAPAN 

Ever since the 

first exclusive 

model was launched 

in 1990, limited 

editions have been 

nowhere more abundant 

than in Japan. 

Particularly during 

the Eunos-branded 

first-generation. 

1990 

1991 

1992 

1990 

1993 

1994 

V Special featuring a 

green exterior and a tan 

interior, leather seats and 

wooden Nardi steering 

wheel and gearshift knob. 

1991 

J Limited with Sunburst 

Yellow body paint (production: 

800). 

1992 

1996 

1995 

Sporty S Special with a 

rear spoiler, strengthened 

chassis, Bilstein dampers, 

BBS aluminium wheels, and 

a Nardi leather steering 

wheel and gearshift knob. 

1993 

S Limited with the S 

Special chassis, black body 

and a red interior (production: 

1,000). 

1997 

1998 

1999 

1993 

2000 

The J Limited II with yellow 

body paint and a black 

windshield surround for a 

sportier look (production: 

800). 

1994 

2001 

Special RS Limited with 15- 

inch wheels, Recaro carbon 

kevlar bucket seats and 

deep blue-green body paint. 

Based on the S Special 

(production: 500). 

1995 

S Special-based R Limited 

with red interior, navy blue 

body and soft top, and 15- 

inch wheels. Performance 

was enhanced with a final 

gear ratio of 4.300 (production: 

1,000). 

1995 

S Special Type II 

with 15-inch BBS alloy 

wheels. 

1996 

VR Limited Combination 

A & B: Wine red with a beige 

roof for the “A” and all dark 

green for the “B” (production: 

700 & 800). 

1997 

2000 

The bordeaux and beige 

NR Limited also came 

with a six-speed gearbox 


2002 

M Package-based 

SR Limited with leather 

and nubuck combination 

bucket seats, extra chrome 

and a Torsen limited-slip 

differential (production: 

700). 

2000 

2000 

All-black YS Limited 

(production: 700) 

2003 

The RS (blue) and 

RS II 1.8 (silver with red 

interior) featured Bilstein 

shocks, strengthened 

brakes and extra body 

reinforcement. 

2001 

Titanium grey MV Limited 


2001 

2004 

An entry-level NR-A model 

was added to line-up for 

motor sport enthusiasts. 

2001 

2005 

Mazdaspeed Roadster 

with four-stage adjustable 

dampers and a special exhaust 

manifold and muffler 

producing a sportier sound 


2002 

The VS included a Torsen 

differential, Bose sound 

system, and a wooden 

steer ing wheel, gearshift 

knob and handbrake grip. 

2002 

SG Limited goes green 


2003 

The made-to-order-only 

Roadster Coupe Type A 

had a classic racing car 

look (production: 200). 

2003 

2006 

The elegant red Roadster 

Coupe Type E (production: 

150). 

2004 

2007 

The Roadster Turbo with 

intercooler and six-speed 

manual gearbox delivered 

172PS and 20 per cent 

extra torque (production: 

300). 

2006 

Celebrating the 2005-06 

prize, the Japan Car of the 

Year Award Commemorative 

Edition featured two 

unique colour combinations 

and a leather interior. 

2006 

Racing-inspired NR-A 

with height-adjustable 

Bilstein dampers and a 

torque-sensing differential. 

2007 

Blaze Edition with 17-inch 

BBS alloy wheels. 

2007 

2008 

The Prestige Edition 

featuring leather upholstery, 

heated seats and 

stainless steel scuff plates. 

2009 

2009 

The RS-based Roadster 

20 th Anniver sary 

came with red and 

black Recaro bucket 

seats and clear front 

fog lamps. 




EUROPE 

LIMITED 

EDITIONS 

Spain, 2004 

The Heritage was offered with the 1.6 and 1.8, exclusive 

15-inch alloy wheels, beige leather seats, 

and wood-finished steering wheel, gearshift knob 

and handbrake lever. 

France, 2011 

Black by MX-5 with a sporty black interior and 

black retractable hardtop to contrast the exterior 

in Spirited Green, Velocity Red or Crystal White 

Pearl (production: 20). 

Italy, 2013 

The MX-5 Cult also featured the 126PS 1.8 

with 17-inch bright alloy wheels and three body 

colours (production: 100). 

ONE FOR EVERY 

HOUR OF LE MANS 

After winning the 24 hours of 

Le Mans in 1991 with the rotary 

power ed Mazda 787B, Mazda UK 

had 24 MX-5s built featuring the 

same orange-and-green exterior. 

The MX-5 Le Mans had a 154PS 

1.6 with BBR turbocharger and 

could sprint to 100km/h in 6.8 

seconds. Each car came with a 

certificate of authentic ity signed 

by Johnny Herbert, one of Mazda’s 

Le Mans-winning drivers. 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

2003 

Worldwide, 2005 

The 3 rd Generation Limited was 

launched globally to commemorate 

the all-new model (production: 3,500). 

2004 

2005 

2006 

2007 

Germany, 2011 

The Kaminari featured special rims, light 

grey leather seats and exclusive body colours 


2008 

2009 

2010 

UK, 2013 

The Sport Graphite came in Aquatic Blue or 

Zeal Red with a Meteor Grey retractable hardtop, 

black heated leather seats and 5.8-inch sat nav 


2011 

2012 

2013 

2014 

EUROPE 

….where many of 

these limited and 

special editions were 

marketed in different 

countries and under 

different names. 

UK, 1996 

The 1.6 Monaco (racing green) was an inexpensive 

no-frills version, while the 1.8 Merlot (wine) 

went upscale with a grey leather interior and 

wood-effect trim (production: 450 & 600). 

UK, 2000 

The counterpart to the Japan-market NR Limited, 

the wine-red 1.8 Icon had a six-speed manual, 

brown leather interior, polished 15-inch wheels 

and a wooden steering wheel (production: 750). 

Germany, 2008 

The Niseko was offered in an exclusive 

light blue and other colours with a brown 

leather interior and brown soft top. 

France, 2012 

Whether in Brilliant Black, Crystal White Pearl 

or Velocity Red, every Racing by MX-5 model is 

numbered (production: 25). 

UK, 2014 

The Sport Venture with 17-inch bright 

alloy wheels and two all-new colours: 

Titanium Flash and Deep Crystal Blue. 

Worldwide, 1999 

The 10 th Anniversary Model, featuring a six-speed 

manual and Innocent Blue exterior with black and 

blue two-tone seats and a Nardi steering wheel 

on the inside, was sold in Japan, North America, 

Europe and Australia (production: 7,500). 

UK, 2000 

A classic in Sunburst Yellow and special 

wheels, the California was based on the 

standard 1.6 model (production: 500). 


Europe, 2010 

Based on the 1.8 soft top, the 20 th Anniversary 

Edition was offered in the three colours of the 

original NA with 17-inch wheels, a front suspension 

bracing bar and chrome highlights. 

Spain, 2012 

The Sport-Tech Roadster Coupe 1.8 with 17-inch 

light gunmetal alloy wheels, Havana Brown 

leather seats and piano black dashboard finish. 

Spain, 2014 

The Sakura Roadster Coupe with 

Alpine navigation system and 6.1-inch 

screen, beige and black leather seats, 

and silver side mirrors.

04 THE VIEW FROM OUT THERE 

Road 

Back To roadster country 

Trip 

FOLLOWING IN THE TRACKS OF 

BRITISH ROADSTER CULTURE IN A 

FIRST-GENERATION MX-5: MAZDA’S 

ORIGINAL TWO-SEATER SET OUT 

ON AN UNFORGETTABLE 700 MILE 

(1,120KM) EXPEDITION THROUGH THE 

UK. THE THREE-DAY TRIP TOOK THE 

LONG WAY FROM THE SOUTHAMPTON 

AREA UP INTO WALES BEFORE 

RETURNING BACK THROUGH ENGLAND 

TO GOODWOOD, A GRAIL OF THE 

MOTORING WORLD. 

58 


59


Britain certainly offered the ideal conditions for 

inventing the roadster. Who else could have come 

up with such cars if not a country with plenty of 

hills and even more motor sport fans, where each 

rare moment of sun is something to be cherished? History 

may have doomed most local manufacturers, but the MX-5 

is keeping their spirit alive. And what better way to pay 

homage to the roots of the roadster than to take a trip 

along the splendid country roads of England and Wales? 

With no less than Goodwood – a Mecca for car legends – 

as the final destination. The MX-5 should be right at home. 

Arriving in a mystic 

landscape of the Black 

Mountain range between 

Brynamman and Llangadog. 

The weather? As expected. 

2 SEATER 

3 DAY TRIP 

700 MILES 

1996 NA MODEL 

1.8 L ENGINE 

& 225,000 KM 

NA and B roads 

The roads in roadster: winding, 

empty and breathtaking. 

The B4520 near Upper Chapel 

in the Mynydd Eppynt area, 

a name that means “mountain 

horse path” in Welsh. 

An overcast day on the A40/A470 

from Llandovery through Brecon 

and the wonderful Brecon Beacons 

to Builth Wells. 

But which MX-5 shall it be? The choice was a Japan import 

Eunos Roadster – as first-generation MX-5s were called in 

the domestic market – in top-of-the-line V Special Type II 

special edition format. It’s a 1.8-litre 1996 NA model 

with a Torsen limited-slip differential and a respectable 

225,000km on the clock, but still in excellent condition. 

The black paintwork and chrome wheels and mirrors were 

polished up, and the car didn’t miss a beat mechanically, 

either. The heater even worked like new – no small detail 

in winter. This model was borrowed from Autolink, a 

company located near Southampton that specialises 

in parts for second-hand Japanese cars and specifically 

MX-5s. And that was where the journey began. » 


A quiet, damp night 

in Builth Wells. 




From Rhayader on the B4518 

along the Elan River valley to 

the Caban-coch reservoir... 

The atmosphere in the cabin? Fittingly retro, with high-end 

brown leather upholstery, a beautiful three-spoke metal 

and wood Nardi steering wheel, elegant wooden gear shift 

knob and hand brake lever, and door panels featuring extra 

tweeters and metal protective plates. A Pioneer stereo with 

cassette and CD player, a bar behind the seats reinforcing 

the body’s stiffness and metal door sill guards rounded out 

this model’s original special equipment. 

Unsurprisingly, the car was a pleasure to drive, with perfect 

pedals and fast shifting along with the engine response and 

handling required for a truly sporty road experience. And a 

soft top that was quick and easy to put down. Or up again in 

the not-so-seldom case of showers. (It is Britain, after all.) 

The roads are amazing around the Brecon Beacons, a 

mountain range and national park in south Wales with 

peaks reaching almost 900m above sea level. It was at times 

easy to forget that such breathtaking scenery, reminiscent of 

Patagonia or New Zealand, could be within such close reach 

of the rest of the UK: It’s only 60km north of Cardiff, the 

Welsh capital. 

Also called the Welsh Lake District, the region features rolling 

countryside and windy roads with sparse traffic, but is also 

impeccably clean and therefore as loved by walkers, hikers, 

photographers and even stargazers as it is by motoring 

enthusiasts. A jaunt down to Aberystwyth and the Irish Sea 

coast followed before steering the MX-5 back into the hills of 

interior Wales. The time behind the wheel went by incredibly 

fast and it was soon time to return. But at least there was 

another 300km-plus of B-road fun to look forward before 

reaching Goodwood. ⁄⁄ 

…and the neighbouring Garreg-ddu 

reservoir. Construction of the 

Elan River dams that created 

these reservoirs began in 1893. 

Clichés of the magnificent sort: 

Lakes, green hills and sheep in the 

rugged Towy Forest at Llyn Brianne, 

a reservoir on the way from 

Aberystwyth to Llandovery. 

The final destination (pictured to the left): 

the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, 

home of the annual Festival of Speed. 

The estate is run by the Earl of March, 

who is also president of the British 

Automobile Racing Club and no 

stranger to British roadster culture. 

Heading north on 

the A470 from 

Builth Wells 

to Rhayader. 

It was at times easy 

to forget that such 

breathtaking scenery, 

reminiscent of Patagonia 

or New Zealand, 

could be within such 

close reach of the 

rest of the UK. 

64 


65

12 RUE ROUGET DE LISLE 

92442 ISSY LES MOULINEAUX CEDE - 01 41 33 37 37 

MAZDA 

5984530300524/GJD/MMI/2 

6/9 

12 RUE ROUGET DE LISLE 

92442 ISSY LES MOULINEAUX CEDE - 01 41 33 37 37 

Surface approx. (cm²) : 4484 

Page 5/8 

Eléments de recherche : Passages significatifs : - MAZDA ou MAZDA AUTOMOBILES FRANCE : constructeur automobile, uniquement en France - 

MAZDA2 : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA3 ou MAZDA3 MPS : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA5 : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA6 ou ... 

LAventador ne connaît guère de courbes 

» En ce sens elle renoue avec le style Countach 

> patronyme qui sonne nippon mais serait dapres 

des linguistes distingues la traduction du mot 

recompense en vieux haut allemand la première 

langue germanique écrite ça ne s invente pas i 

Pour avoir fait revivre un genre automobile 

aujourd hui quasi disparu dans son pays d origine 

Mazda en mériterait bien une de miata Des 

lauriers sur lesquels la Mazda ne s endort pas 

puisque après trois générations et bientôt un 

million d exemplaires en quelque 22 années de 

production la MX 5 continue d évoluer Ainsi son 

style a su se mettre au goût du jour sa finition a 

sans cesse gagne en qualité et elle a eu cette géniale 

idée de se présenter en même temps en roadster 

traditionnel a capote en toile et en version CC De 

plus la gamme actuelle comprend cette déclinai 

son sportive ici a I essai équipée d amortisseurs 

Bilstem et d un différentiel a glissement limite 

Torsen Pasdequoi mquieterlAventador satrans 

mission intégrale permanente et son électronique 

sophistiquée Mais tout de même ' 

La MX 5 n est pas le genre de grenouille qui veut se 

faire aussi grosse que le taureau Aventador Mais 

toute verte et abordable quelle soit son charme 

opère Si j avais de quoi m offrir onze Mazda je n en Du fin fond de ces baies moteur 

achèterai qu une le solde de ma fortune réglant 860 en et 16 cylindres nous contemplent 

la facture estampillée I amborghini 

dont les trois quarts côte orange 

"> Quatre mètres deux places et un petit moteur 

nerveux la MX 5 cultive la recette du roadster 

MAZDA 

5984530300524/GJD/MMI/2 

9/9 

Surface approx. (cm²) : 4484 

Page 8/8 

Eléments de recherche : Passages significatifs : - MAZDA ou MAZDA AUTOMOBILES FRANCE : constructeur automobile, uniquement en France - 

MAZDA2 : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA3 ou MAZDA3 MPS : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA5 : véhicule Mazda - MAZDA6 ou ... 

THE 

MX-5 

THROUGH THE EYES 

OF THE MEDIA 

The MX-5 has always been a 

favourite with journalists. 

The vast majority have been 

enthusiastic from the very 

beginning, especially after testing the 

car. Admittedly, being fun to drive, 

reliable and affordable, the MX-5 has 

always held some very strong cards. 

A brief tour of the media’s perspective 

on the world’s most famous roadster. 

Into the desert 

MX-5 fans all over love to 

customise their roadsters. After 

all, there are so many of them 

around. Many strange things 

have been tried, but perhaps 

the most convoluted (and one 

of the best known) modification 

jobs ever was seen in 

the 2010 Top Gear Christmas 

Special. The challenge for the 

three hosts was to re-enact the 

journey of the three wise men 

across the desert to Bethlehem, 

each in a used two-seater 

convertible. Modifying their 

cars for desert travel, Jeremy 

Clarkson gave his NB MX-5 a 

“car of many colours” paint job, 

also adding a camel catcher and 

the “Axle of Evil” to make it a 

six-wheeled roadster. 

“Why buy it? Just try it 

and you’ll fall in love. 

And it’s also very reliable.” 

L’argus, France 

“THE MIATA IS A PERFECT MA- 

CHINE FOR LINKING SUCCESSIVE 

CURVES. THERE IS NO CAR AS 

FUN AS THE MAZDA MX-5.” 

Car and Driver, Spain 

“Diamonds 

Are Forever.” 

Diario Digital, Portugal 

“The fact is that if you want a 

sports car, the MX-5 is perfect. 

Nothing on the road will give 

you better value. Nothing will 

give you so much fun. The only 

reason I’m giving it five stars 

is because I can’t give it 14.” 

Jeremy Clarkson, 

The Sunday Times, UK 

N 10/2011 

Trimestriel 

N 10/2011 

Trimestriel 


“It has been THE ‘spyder’ 

for 20 years: simplicity, 

lightness and the handling 

of a purebred sports car.” 

Autocapital, Italy 

“The best handling two-seater I’ve 

driven in recent memory – and my 

memory for such things is good.” 

Road & Track, USA 

“FROM THE MOMENT IT APPEARED 

IN 1989, WE’VE BEEN BIG FANS OF 

THE LITTLE MIATA.” 

Car and Driver, USA 

“The MX-5 is for all the 

other roadsters as Coca-Cola ® 

is for all the other colas.” 

AutoFoco SportsCars, Portugal 

“A CULT CAR! THE MX-5 WAS DE SIGNED 

TO BE SIMPLE AND ENTERTAIN ITS 

DRIVER. THIS IS ITS PHILOSOPHY. 

YOU, TOO, WILL LOVE IT – AND YOU 

WILL NOT WANT TO GET OUT!” 

Elaborare, Italy 

“All you really need.” 

“THE MAZDA MX-5 DELIVERS 

SUPERB HANDLING, SLEEK LOOKS 

AND BULLET-PROOF RELIABILITY 

AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.” 

Auto Express, UK 

“It can be considered 

one of the best cars ever.” 

Automóvil, Spain 

“THE NEW MAZDA MX-5 IMPRESSES 

WITH ITS INNOVATIONS. THE CAR 

OFFERS A HIGHER LEVEL OF 

DRIVING PLEASURE WITH ITS 

DYNAMICS, DESIGN AND COMFORT.” 

Esquire, Turkey, which selected the MX-5 

to its “Esquire 10” list of the ten objects 

a man should have 

“Hopefully there will be a futuristic 

MX-5 in 50 years with the same 

essence as the current one because 

what makes it last are these 

everlasting basic virtues.” 

Autovía, Spain 

“Twenty-five years ago today, 

Mazda gifted the world with the 

most important contribution to 

human progress since fire was 

invented: the MX-5 Miata.” 

Jalopnik.com, USA 

“Brilliant!” 

Autocar, UK (on the cover) 

“Few cars can rival the Mazda MX-5 

for driver appeal. It offers wind-inthe-hair 

thrills and excellent reliability 

with reasonable prices.” 

Carbuyer, UK 

U.S. comedian and TV host Jay Leno, 

about his NA MX-5: 

“Every time I get in this car, I realise this is all 

you really need: plenty of power, fun to drive 

and good handling. What’s more, the air conditioner 

works. The radio works. The heater 

works. All the problems you used to associate 

with sports cars don’t exist in this car. 

It’s a truly practical car you can use every 

day – but it’s really fun to drive. And it really 

is fun to drive. It handles extremely well. The 

gearbox is excellent: very quick, very swift. 

The clutch is light enough so as not to be a 

hindrance. It makes just the right amount of 

noise, not too loud…of course mine’s a little 

bit louder than stock because that’s what I 

like. It’s a very easy car to personalise, too. 

For example, this one has anti-roll bars and 

a supercharger that gives you a little extra 

power. And you can drive this car very, very 

swiftly. You can hang the tail on a little bit, 

drop it down a gear, bring it around. Just 

going for a bag of groceries can be a lot of 

fun. The real trick to owning one of these is 

you always take the long way home.” 

“Ladies and gentlemen, 

the Mazda MX-5 keeps up 

to date and makes something 

new every day: it was the 

best-selling roadster yesterday, 

it’s the bestseller today 

and probably will be the 

bestseller tomorrow.” 

iSPEED, Portugal 

“WHEN TALKING ABOUT CONVER - 

T IBLES, THE MAZDA MX-5 IS UNDENIA- 

BLY THE REFERENCE, WITH ITS VAST 

LEGION OF FANS. IT EVEN HOLDS THE 

GUINNESS WORLD RECORD AS THE 

MOST SOLD ROADSTER EVER.” 

Em Foco / A Bola TV, Portugal 

“Mazda’s nouveau roadster 

has got it down pat.” 

Wheels, Australia 

Photo: Kevin Necessary 


67

05 LIVING THE MX-5 

EVERY 

COUNTRY 

HAS ITS 

STORIES 

THE GREAT OUTDOORS ARE EXTRA SPECIAL TO THOSE 

WHO OWN AN MX-5. FOR THOUSANDS IN EUROPE AND 

AROUND THE WORLD, THE AFFORDABLE ROADSTER IS 

A HOBBY PURSUED WITH A PASSION, WHETHER AS PART 

OF MX-5 CLUBS, ATTENDING EVENTS, SETTING WORLD 

RECORDS OR SIMPLY OUT FOR A SUNDAY DRIVE. THE 

FOLLOWING IS A EUROPEAN TOUR DEMONSTRATING 

JUST WHAT KIND OF SPIRIT DRIVES MX-5 FANS. 

MX-5 RALLY AT THE 

ENNSTAL CLASSIC 

The modern classic meets time-honoured classics in the 

breathtaking Austrian countryside. The 2013 Ennstal Classic 

saw 19 Mazda roadsters from all three generations belonging 

to MX-5 club members join this three-day event, which 

attracts more than 50 brands of classic cars dating back to 

the 1920s (and sometimes even older). The main event 

for the MX-5s was a 450km rally starting and ending in 

the town of Gröbming. The winner? Franz Schubert and 

Manfred Hübl in a red generation-one MX-5. 

AUSTRIA 

WORLD RECORD SET IN ESSEN 

Exactly 459 MX-5s from 17 countries gathered at the Zollverein, 

a UNESCO heritage site in Essen, to set a new Guinness 

World Record for the “largest parade of Mazda cars”. 

Some participants came from as far away as Moscow. 

The record could have been higher – more than 600 MX-5 

owners applied – but there simply wasn’t enough room. 

Mazda auctioned off the final parade spaces to raise 

money for SOS Children’s Villages. The record, which 

would hold for almost three years, easily topped the 

existing mark of 249 cars set in New Zealand. 

GERMANY 

FRANCE 

Salon du Cabriolet 2010: Graffiti artist 

François d’Humières goes to work on 

a first-generation MX-5. 

The “Black&Mat” MX-5, also shown here 

at the Salon du Cabriolet, was built to 

celebrate 20 years of MX-5 imports. 

Photo: Patrick Morel 

Local clubs 

enjoy the art 

de vivre and 

chateau life 

in the French 

countryside. 

SWEDEN 

Photo: Peter Gunnars 

More than 120 MX-5s 

gathered at a private 

airstrip in Tököl (near 

Budapest) for a 2010 

club-organised meeting. 

Photo: Peter Lazar 

HUNGARY 

Gunnar Dackewall, editor of Gran Turismo magazine, 

loves winter driving. He’s even driven the 

Monte Carlo Classic Rally from Stockholm down 

through the Alps – in January. In 1990, Dackewall 

ordered one of the very first MX-5s in Sweden, later 

purchasing a new NC as well. 

“It was as if the whole automotive world had 

forgotten what fun driving was. They kept adding 

weight and compensating with more and more 

power. Okay, the speed was there, but the fun had 

disappeared under all the technology and 

equipment. The cheerful little lightweight 

MX-5 was a real eye-opener, especially for 

the younger generation, with the intimate 

contact it gave the driver to the road and 

the elements. What’s more, it was clear that 

Mazda had also created a design icon. I use 

my MX-5 year-round. Going flat out sideways 

with the top down is fantastic. It’s a very 

special feeling: You really have to try it!” 



SLOVENIA 

RUSSIA 

Three ACF Fiorentina footballers 

(De Silvestri, Gilardino and Frey) 

at Villa Viviani in Florence. 

ITALY 

Scissor doors: Pimp my MX-5 goes to Slovenia. 

Specially decorated MX-5s at a jazz festival in Russia 

sponsored by Mazda. 

MX-5 clubs gather at various locations around the country. 

Fabio Caiazzo is president of the 

M1 Club Italia, which is dedicated 

to first-generation MX-5s. He 

owns two himself and has res 

tored more than 30 of them. 

GERMANY 

MX-5 YUSHO 

Producing 278PS and 284Nm of torque, 

the Yusho (Japanese for “victory”) is 

unlike any other MX-5. Featuring Cosworth 

pistons and a supercharger kit 

from U.S. customiser Flyin’ Miata along 

with a chassis adapted to handle such 

performance, the matte white 2013 prototype 

does 0-100km/h in 5,9 seconds 

and can make it all way up to 238km/h. 

SPAIN 

The trip of the year: 6,000km and 34 

hours behind the wheel, all the way 

to Ireland for two Spanish MX-5 club 

members. 

MX-5 clubs in Spain are very active, 

and members driving 30,000km 

a year and more are no rarity. 

Mazda Spain is even preparing an 

online tour guide with some of the 

country’s best Jinba Ittai routes. 

Mazda Spain 

celebrates 

the 25 th anniversary 

at its 

headquarters 

in Madrid. 

1 

2 

1. A decade of driving joy with 

her limited edition Twilight 

Blue MX-5: Juliette Sluis fell 

in love with her car straight 

away. And after 262,600km, 

her idea of the ideal holiday 

is still 5,000km of narrow, 

winding roads. 

MX-5 PARADE SHATTERS OLD RECORD 

On 15 June 2013, the longest parade of Mazdas got quite a 

bit longer. The setting this time was the MAX-5 2013 event, 

a large gathering of MX-5s from around Europe. And a new 

Guinness World Record was established by 683 MX-5s at 

around 3m below sea level on the roads around the RDW 

Test Centre in Lelystad, a city built on reclaimed land. 

The previous record set in Essen, Germany in 2010 by 

459 MX-5s was thus history. 

NETHERLANDS 

Some 220 cars attended a special event organised by 

Mazda Poland for the MX-5’s 20 th anniversary. 

POLAND 

Club MX-5 Portugal organises five or six events per year, 

including the Alentejo Kart Cup, and coordinates member 

participation in larger motoring festivals. 

PORTUGAL 

3 

2. Born in 1989, just like the 

MX-5: Looking for a reliable, 

affordable and fun ride, 

student Simon Samwel found 

a beautiful blue metallic NA 

model in original condition. 

He can’t wait for summer. 

UK 

Childhood motoring 

fantasies for 

giants: A life-sized 

Scalextric track at 

Goodwood, also 

in 2010. 

3. The MX-5 Nederland Club 

celebrated the MX-5’s 20 th 

anniversary with a trip 

through five countries. 

The Superlight MX-5, a 2009 concept, 

shown here driving at Goodwood in 2010. 

The MX-5 GT concept debuts at the 

Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2012. 


71


UK 

BRITISH ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Mazda UK entered two MX-5 race-ready production cars 

into the 2011 Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship 

over nine races. The results: two second-place finishes in 

their class and third place on two more occasions. Another 

MX-5 was added for the Britcar 24-hour race at Silverstone, 

where all three finished. 

1 

2 

Motor sports have accompanied the MX-5 

since the very beginning. Literally. Unveiled 

at the 1989 Chicago Motor Show 

alongside the original NA MX-5, the Miata 

Club Racer concept (see p. 50) underlined the street model’s natural 

born character. And this bold statement was followed up with some 

incredible success on the track. Today, with more than 3,000 MX-5s racing 

actively, Mazda’s little roadster is the most-raced production car in the world. 

3 

From day one, the MX-5 has been raced at all levels, by inexperienced amateurs to 

seasoned professionals. Competition dates back to the Teddy Yip Race of Champions 

held as part of 1989 Macao Grand Prix weekend. Here 16 MX-5s were driven by what was 

basically the who’s who of motor racing at the time. Formula One and Two driver Geoff 

Lees ended up winning ahead of Andy Rouse, one of the most successful British 

saloon car series drivers ever, and four-time Australian touring car champion 

Allan Moffat. 

UK 

BACK TO BRITCAR & BIRKETT 

In 2013, Mazda UK entered two mechanically 

standard but race-prepared 160PS 2.0-litre MX-5 

production cars (images 1-3) in two races at 

Silverstone: the Britcar Production Sportscar 

Series and the annual Birkett 6 Hour Relay Race, 

which dates back to 1951. The MX-5s did well 

against competing Porsches and Ginettas in 

the Britcar race, and both completed the Birkett 

marathon without any problems, finishing in 

the middle of the pack. 

A SPORTS 

CAR 

THROUGH 

AND 

THROUGH 

The MX-5 UK Cup Race Series began the following year. Amateur SCCA 

(Sports Car Club of America) racing, meanwhile, counted everincreasing 

numbers of Miatas. From Nürburgring to Silverstone, 

Spa Francorchamps to Zandvoort and the Laguna Seca Mazda 

Raceway: MX-5 cups have flourished around the world on 

some rather prestigious race tracks. In Europe (besides 

the UK), Switzerland held its version from 1999 to 

2002, Spain and Portugal organised cup series 

between 2001 and 2003, Sweden from 2007 

onwards, and the Netherlands starting in 

2008. The U.S., Japan and Australia, 

among other places, also host 

MX-5 cups. » 


73


UK 

CAR 

A SPORTS 

MX-5 GT4 IN BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP 

When Mazda UK hooked up with Jota Sport, 

the outcome was the fastest and most powerful 

MX-5 yet. Featuring a turbocharged 325PS 2.0-litre 

under the bonnet mated to a paddle-shifted 

sequential six-speed Hewland gearbox, 0-100km/h 

takes a mere 3 seconds and the top speed is just 

under 260km/h. The one-tonne MX-5 GT4 would 

hold its own against the big guns of the British GT 

Championship’s GT4 class in 2012 – Aston 

Martin, Ginetta, Lotus, et.al. – finishing second 

at Snetterton and third at Brands Hatch. 

You could even order your very own MX-5 

GT4 from Mazda and Jota. The price? 

A mere £125,000 (€150,000). 

AND 

THROUGH 

THROUGH 

Mazda Motor Russia 

has two major annual 

MX-5 events. One, the MX-5 

Ice Race, is held on a frozen 

lake in Siberia in late February. 

The other, the Mazda Sport Cup, 

is organised for Mazda owners 

around Russia. It comprises a series 

of events, with the winners going on 

to compete in a national final. 

RUSSIA 

ICE RACE 2011 

(EUROPEAN 

JOURNALIST RACES) 

In 2011, 20 MX-5s were modified 

to race on ice, with special 

suspension, a higher ground 

clearance and thin spiked tires – 

but no roof! The four-hour event 

took place at a 4.5km ice track 

on a frozen lake in north-eastern 

Sweden. Journalists, TV celebrities 

and others from 26 nations 

shared time behind the steering 

wheel during training sessions, 

qualifying and the race itself. 

EUROPE 

The Ribank Mazda MaX5 

Cup is all about affordable 

racing fun. Focused above all 

on novice drivers, it also offers 

an affordable alternative to 

more experienced pilots. The 

cars are all first-generation 

MX-5s with the 115PS 1.6-litre, 

special tires and dampers, and 

a minimum weight of 960kg 

(driver included). The ECUs 

and engines are sealed after 

dynamometer tests to keep 

costs down and races competitive: 

Participants can get by 

on around €5,000 per year. 

And since it’s driver organised, 

sociability and sportsmanship 

are top priorities. 

NETHERLANDS 

Travel to a raceway in North America, and 

chances are you’ll see a Mazda or two. There 

are, in fact, more Mazdas on tracks in the 

U.S. and Canada than any other single brand. 

Take the SCCA’s Spec Miata class. “Spec” 

means strict modification rules. This evens the 

playing field for drivers and, since the cars are 

so similar, it also keeps costs down. Add in the 

MX-5’s perfectly balanced handling and the 

fact that used MX-5s and parts are cheap and 

plentiful, and you have a very popular class of 

amateur racing. On any given weekend, there 

may be 1,500 MX-5s battling it out across the 

continent. Numerous race car drivers started 

their professional careers in the MX-5 Cup, a 

pro series started by the SCCA to capitalise on 

the Spec Miata’s popularity. Like the amateur 

class, MX-5 Cup racers are virtually identical 

to one another. Again, it’s all up to the driver, 

so the races are accordingly competitive. 

NORTH AMERICA 

OPEN RACE 2010 

(EUROPEAN 

JOURNALIST RACES) 

Organised by Mazda to celebrate 

the MX-5’s 20 th anniversary, the 

MX-5 Open Race was a four-hour 

endurance competition giving 

journalists from across Europe 

an opportunity to experience the 

MX-5 on the track. The venue was 

the Adria International Raceway in 

northern Italy, a 2.7km professional 

circuit completed in 2002. 

BELGIUM 

Mazda Belux’s racing activities 

include Racing Stars 

TV, with two teams – one 

each for men and women – 

and two production MX-5 

2.0s with modified suspensions. 

They competed in 

the 24 Hours of Zolder in 

2013 and plan to return in 

2014. Mazda also entered 

two racing MX-5s in the 2011 

Dunlop Special Open Series, 

with dealers driving one car 

and journalists the other. 

AUSTRIA 

Mazda Austria joined the Drift 

Challenge Austria competition in 

2013 with an official factory team 

and a standard production 160PS 

MX-5 2.0. One of the pilots, Mario 

Kranabetter, had already won the 

DCA championship in 2010 and 2011 

in an MX-5 in the under-2,500cm 3 

production car class. He finished 

second in 2012 and again in 2013. 

CZECH REPUBLIC 

In 2013, Mazda Czech Republic 

organised a series of six MX-5 

races in cooperation with 

AmaterCup at three tracks 

around the country. Pictured 

here: one of the NC 2.0s. 

JAPAN 

Fans to the bone: 

Mazda employees, 

too, regularly 

take part in team 

endurance races, 

for example at the 

Okayama International 

Circuit in 

southern Japan. 

Photo: MZ Racing 


75

AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND G 

IT JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND G 

06 MX-5 FACTS 

Yve and Hans Thoolen 

have enjoyed many a trip 

through Europe in their red 

MX-5 since purchasing it in 

1995. Now, 19 years later, 

the 1992 model has almost 

430,000km under its 

belt – still with the original 

engine and clutch. The only 

things they’ve replaced 

are the side sills and rear 

fenders. The Dutch couple 

promise they will never 

sell it. 

Photos: Kevin Necessary 

Carsite.co.uk named it the number one second-hand car 

of the new millennium: “The Mazda MX-5 deserves the top 

position thanks to its strong reliability, value for money, 

residual performance and driveability.” 

BUILT IN THE SPIRIT OF THOSE 

CELEBRATED BRITISH ROADSTERS, 

THE MX-5 HAS ONE CLEAR DISTINCTION: 

ITS EXTRAORDINARY RELIABILITY. 

TYPICALLY MAZDA, THIS IS ONE 

OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR ITS 

ONGOING SUCCESS. WITH SUCH A 

HUGE COLLECTION OF AWARDS AND 

ACCOLADES FOR BEING SO DEPEN- 

DABLE, THERE IS OF COURSE NO 

SHORTAGE OF EXAMPLES OF MX-5s 

REACHING EXTREME MILEAGE. 

A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE MOST 

FAITHFUL SPORTS CARS EVER. 

A 

good start: The dependability of the MX-5 was 

a target of admiration right from the beginning, 

completing a 100,000km durability test conducted 

by Germany’s Auto, Motor und Sport in early 

1990 with flying colours. “All the important mechanical 

components covered the long distance virtually unscathed. 

The engine uses practically no oil and runs with almost the 

same vitality of its first days. The gearshift is still so magnificently 

crisp, and the chassis is just as fit.” 

In the U.S., Road & Track magazine took idea a giant step 

further recently when it purchased a well-worn NA Miata 

with more than 325,000 miles (520,000km) on the clock. 

The plan for the “Million Mile Miata” is in the name: to wrap 

the odometer across the 1-million mile mark (1.6 million km). 

It even has its own Facebook page, “like any respectable 

25-year-old.” 

The “Million Mile Miata“ 

from U.S. Magazine 

Road & Track 

In Germany, meanwhile, the 2012 Dekra breakdown report 

placed the MX-5 first among all sports cars on the market 

for the third year in a row. Nine of every ten MX-5s with 

less than 50,000km are problem-free. “Even more than its 

predecessor, the third-generation MX-5 is a model of reliability,” 

wrote Dekra, Germany’s largest vehicle inspection 

company. 

Back in the UK, Which? magazine named the MX-5 Britain’s 

most reliable new sports car in its Car Survey 2013 – that 

nation’s largest review of car satisfaction and reliability. 

With reliability scores of 97.4 per cent and 91.1 per cent, 

respectively, for models up to and more than three years 

old, the MX-5 beat a host of rivals, claiming first and second 

places in the two age categories. It was also showered with 

praise from the Which? editorial team: “For a sports car 

that will last for years and won’t cost a fortune in repairs, 

head to your local Mazda garage. The MX-5 has the lowest 

number of faults and no annual repair costs in the first 

three years.” Which? also liked the second-generation 

MX-5 models (1998-2005), calling them “the automotive 

equivalent of a double espresso. Near-telepathic steering 

and handling make other cars (even some sports cars) feel 

woolly and dull by comparison. You can pick-up a decent 

used MX-5 for just £1,500 (€1,800). We suggest you do.” 

What Car? also ranked the MX-5 as Britain’s most reliable 

convertible in 2012. With 96 per cent of MX-5s built after 

2005 fault-free, the model achieved a reliability index score 

of 8 (lower is better) compared to an overall average score 

of 100. The annual survey, which looks at more than 50,000 

cars, calculates the score based on factors including age, 

mileage, the number of breakdowns, cost of repairs and 

average time spent off the road being repaired. According 

to the 2012 survey, on the rare occasion something does go 

wrong, MX-5 owners can also expect an average bill of only 

£168 (€200) – also the lowest in the review. ⁄⁄ 

WHAT 

A TRIP 

Yuuichi Tsuyuki, 25 at the 

time, had no idea how far 

his NA MX-5 would travel 

when he bought it new in 

1993. Going on 21 years 

later, he’s put 855,000km 

on his car – equivalent to 

having circumnavigated the globe 21 times and being 

well into the 22 nd lap. Averaging some 40,000km per 

year, the Roadster Club of Japan member still has his 

MX-5 and still loves it. 

“It stands out at Mazda get-togethers because it’s got 

the original suspension and ground clearance. It also 

has a Mazdaspeed semi-bucket seat on the driver’s 

side, a Mk2 glass window soft top, plus a vacuum gauge, 

oil temperature gauge and voltmeter. It’s on its third engine, 

transmission and radiator and its second propeller 

shaft, differential and aircon,” ex plains Tsuyuki. “I’ll 

probably have to let it retire when it reaches 1 million 

km. Between 2007 and 2009, I switched to a Mk3, but 

I was still known as the guy who drove that Mk1 with 

the high mileage, so I couldn’t resist switching back 

for the MX-5’s 20 th anniversary event.” 


77

06 MX-5 FACTS 

MX-5 Award-List 

AND THE WINNER IS ... 

2012 

CANADA 

2013 Convertible of the 

Year: Mazda MX-5 

2009 

GERMANY 

Auto Trophy 2009: 

Best imported convertible 

under €30,000 

2010 

From the U.S. to Australia, from Germany to Japan, 

Mazda MX-5 is one of the most decorated 

vehicles of the last 25 years. 

2005 

JAPAN 

Car of the Year Japan 

2005-2006 

2011 

SLOVAKIA 

Best cars 2010 

2008 

2013 

CHILE 

Chilean Car of the Year 2014 

USA 

2010 Lowest True 

Cost to Own: 

Convertibles under 

$35,000 

2007 

THAILAND 

Thailand Car of the Year 2007: 

Best Roadster 

PHILIPPINES 

Car of the Year: 

Sexiest Car Award 

2006 

AUSTRALIA 

Drive Car of the 

Year 2006: 

Best Convertible 

3rd 

GENERATION 

MK III 

CODENAMED 

NC 

2013 USA U.S. News Auto Rankings: 

#1 in Affordable Sports Cars (2014) 

2013 USA U.S. News Auto Rankings: 

#1 in Affordable Convertibles (2014) 

2013 Chile Chilean Sports Car of the Year 2014 

2013 USA 2013 U.S. IQS compact sporty car segment award 

2013 USA Edmunds New Car Buying Guides: 

top recommended convertibles under $30,000 

2012 Canada 2013 Convertible of the Year: Mazda MX-5 

(Auto123.com awards) 

2012 Canada Golden Key: Best sports car under $50,000 

2012 Canada Le Guide de l‘Auto: Best new roadster under $50,000 

2012 USA kbb.com: 10 Best Road Trip Convertibles 

2012 Indonesia 2012 Autocar Indonesia Reader‘s Choice Awards: 

Favourite Convertible 

2012 Singapore Singapore Car of the Year 

(SGCM Editor‘s Pick) 

2012 Germany First place, sports car category (up to 50,000 km), 

in the DEKRA breakdown report 



2011 USA Car and Driver: 10 Best Cars of 2012 

2011 UK 2011 Auto Express New Car Awards: Best Roadster 

2011 UK 2011 J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey: 

winner, sports car segment 

2011 Hungary Playboy Car of the Year 2011: 

Open-top sports car category 

2011 UK CarBuyer Car of the Year 2011: Best Convertible 

2011 USA 2011 J.D. Power vehicle dependability study: 

highest ranked compact sporty car 




2010 Germany Auto Trophy 2010: 

Best imported convertible under €30,000 

2010 UK 2010 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study: 

Best Sports Car 

2010 USA 2010 Lowest True Cost to Own: 

Convertibles under $35,000 

2010 Slovakia Best cars 2010 



2010 USA Cars.com: Play Car of the Year 2010 

2009 Germany Auto Trophy 2009: Best imported convertible 

under €30,000 


2009 Australia Wheels Gold Star Cars Awards: 

Best Sports Roadster under $150K 

2009 UK 2009 Auto Express New Car Awards: Best Roadster 

2009 Ireland New car awards 2009: Best roadster 



2008 Philippines 2008 Philippines Car of the Year: Sexiest Car Award 

2008 UK 2008 Auto Express Used Car Honours: Best Roadster 

2008 UK 2008 Auto Express New Car Honours: Best Convertible 

2008 USA ROAD & TRAVEL 2008 Sexy Car Buyer‘s Guide: Top Ten 

2008 USA J.D. Power 2008 Initial Quality Study: 

Highest-Ranked Compact Sporty Car 

2008 Thailand Thailand Car of the Year 2008: 

Best Roadster 

2008 USA Consumer Reports Top Picks 2008: Fun to Drive 

2008 Canada World of Wheels Editor‘s Choice: 

Best Convertible of 2007 



2007 Germany Auto Trophy 2007: Best imported convertible 

under €30,000 


2007 USA Edmund’s 10 Most Affordable Convertibles 

(1 st place) 

2007 USA Top Ten Sports Cars 

2007 Scotland Scottish Car of the Year 2007: Best Drop-Top 

2007 USA Gaywheels.com: Top 10 Gay-Friendly Cars (no.3) 

2007 USA The vehicle dependability of 2004 model year 

(Compact Sporty Car) 

2007 Thailand Thailand Car of the Year 2007: Best Roadster 


2007 USA 2007 Cars.com Lifestyle Awards: 

Best Deal for Empty Nesters 


2006 UK Top Gear: Roadster of the Year 2006 

2006 Australia Drive Car of the Yea 2006: Best Convertible 

2006 USA Most Efficient Two Seaters 2007 

2006 Scotland Scottish Car of the Year 2006: Best Drop-Top 

2006 USA Edmunds Editors’ Most Wanted Awards: 

Convertible Under $25,000 

2006 New Zealand National Business Review Sports Car of the Year 2006 

2006 Australia Wheels Automotive Design Awards - Overall Outstanding 

Automotive Design 

2006 Germany autoscout24.com Internet Auto Awards 2006: 

Best Imported Convertible 

2006 UK 2006 Auto Express New Car Honours: Best Roadster 

2006 USA Best Convertibles 2006: Best entry-level roadster 

2006 USA Forbes Best Cars for the Bucks 2006: Best Convertible 

2006 World 2006 World Car of the Year: one of three finalists 

2006 Canada Best Sport Coupe/Convertible 


2006 New Zealand Driver Sports/Performance Car of the Year 

2006 Hungary Playboy Car of the Year 2006: 

Sports Car/Convertible (price value category) 


2006 Hong Kong 10 Best Cars 

2006 USA Most Fun on Wheels 

2006 Australia Wheels 2005 Car of The Year 

2006 UK What Car? Car of the Year 2006: Best open-top 

2006 New Zealand 2005 New Zealand Car of the Year 

2006 Japan Sports Nippon King of Cars Award 

2005 Hong Kong Car for Him 

2005 Croatia 2006 Roadster of the Year 

2005 New Zealand 2005 New Zealand Herald Car of the Year 

2005 Portugal Cabrio of the Year 

2005 USA Car of the Year 2006 Top 10 

2005 USA Car and Driver: 10 Best Cars of 2006 & Best Roadster 

2005 Japan Japan Fashion Color Association: Auto Color Award 

2005 Japan Goods of the Year (Vehicle Category) 

2005 Japan Best Design Award 

2005 UK Top Gear Roadster of the Year 2005 

2005 Japan RJC Car of the Year 2006: Runner-up 

2005 Japan Car of the Year Japan 2005-2006 

2005 Canada Golden Key: Best sports car under $50,000 

2005 USA Best Buy in Sport/Performance Car Class 

2005 Japan 2005 Good Design Award (G-mark) 


79

06 MX-5 FACTS 

2006 

UK 

Auto Express 

Best Used Roadster 

Money Can Buy 

2004 

DENMARK 

Best Roadster 

1996 

USA 

Consumer Reports 

Most Fun to 

Drive Car 1996 

1993 

GERMANY 

Auto, Motor & Sport 

readers’ poll 

Best Import 

Convertible 

2003 

ISRAEL 

2003 Sports Car 

of the Year 

2001 

JAPAN 

Japan Fashion Color 

Association 

Auto Color Award 2001 

1999 

USA 

Car and Driver 

Ten Best Cars 1999 

2000 

USA. 

MotorWeek 

Driver Choice Award 

Best Convertible 

2002 

AUSTRALIA 

Most significant Car 

of the 1980s 

1990 

NEW ZEALAND 

Car of the Year 1990 

2nd 

NB 

GENERATION 

MK II 

CODENAMED 

2006 UK 2006 Auto Express Used Car Honours: Best Roadster & 

Best Used Roadster Money Can Buy 

2004 UK Excellent Second Hand Buy 


2004 Denmark Best Roadster 

2003 Israel 2003 Sports Car of The Year 

2003 UK Best Handling Car 

2003 Portugal Best Speed trophy 


2003 Denmark Best Roadster 

2003 New Zealand Best Mid Size Car 

2002 Australia Most significant car of the 1980s 

2002 Hungary Playboy Car of the Year 2002 


2001 Portugal Best Speed trophy 

2001 UK Top 10 Performance Cars 

2001 Japan Japan Fashion Color Association: Auto Color Award 2001 

2001 UK Used Car Awards: Best Roadster 

2001 Canada Automobile Magazine’s only “11 time All-Star winner” 

2001 USA Automobile 2001 All-Star 

2001 USA 10 Best 



2000 USA MotorWeek Driver Choice Award: Best Convertible 

2000 USA IntelliChoice 2000 Best Overall Value of the Year Awards: 

Base Sport model 

1999 USA Eight Great Rides 

1999 UK Used Car Buyer: Best Sports Car under £10,000 

1999 UK Good Housekeeping: Sports & Coupe winner 

1999 USA Consumer Reports: Best Buy 

1999 UK Auto Express: Best Used Sports Car 

1999 USA 1999 All-Stars: Best Entry-Level Sports Car 

1999 USA Car and Driver: Ten Best Cars 1999 

1998 UK Best Sports Car 


1998 Japan First Prize Smash Hit Goods 

1998 Scotland Scottish Car of the Year: Sports Car of the Year 

1998 USA Consumer Digest: Best Buy 

1998 UK IBCAM Auto Design Award 

1998 UK Auto Express: Best Convertible 1998 

1998 Croatia Sports Car of the Year 

1998 New Zealand AutoCar 1998 Best Sport Car 

1st 

GENERATION 

MK I 

NA 

CODENAMED 

1998 USA Consumer Digest: Best Buy Sport Coupes/Sedans 

1997 Australia Wheels Top 10 of ’97 

1997 Israel 1997 Sports Car of the Year 



1996 Israel 1996 Sports Car of the Year 

1996 USA Consumer Digest: Best Buy Sport Coupes/Sedans 

1996 USA Automobile’s Perfect Ten 

1996 USA Consumer Reports: 1996 Reliability, Sports/Sporty Cars 

(2 nd place) 

1996 USA Consumer Reports: Most Fun to Drive Car 

(1996 model year) 

1996 USA Intellichoice Best Value: Base Sports Car 

1996 Israel Car of The Year 



1995 UK Auto Express: Best Sports Car 1995 

1995 USA J.D. Power: Most Problem-Free Car under $25,000 





1993 Germany Auto, Motor & Sport readers’ poll: Best Import Convertible 


1993 Germany Auto Trophy 1993: Best Fun Car 


1992 Australia Best Buys of 1992 (sports cars under $47,280) 






1991 Hong Kong Best Five Exteriors Design Award 

1991 Australia Best Sports Car under $45,000 

1991 USA Best Sports Car, Driver‘s Choice Awards 

1991 UK What Car? Best Sports Car 1991 



1991 USA Playboy’s Sexiest Car For Your Girlfriend 



1990 USA Road & Track: Ten Best Cars in the World & Best Sports/ 

GT ($13,000-$21,000) 


1990 New Zealand Car of the Year 1990 

1990 Australia Best Sports Car 

1990 Denmark Danish Motoring Journalists Club: Prize of Honour 1990 

1990 USA Top Ten Trouble-Free Cars 

1990 UK Buying Cars: Best Value Sports Car of the Year 

1990 UK Sporting Car of the Year 

1990 UK Newcastle Journal: Best Sports Car 

1990 UK AutoCar & Motor: Best Handling Car in the World 

1990 USA J.D. Power Initial Quality Study: 

Most Trouble-Free Sports Car 

1990 USA Motorweek TV: Best Sports Car, Driver‘s Choice Awards 

1990 USA Edison Best New Products 

1990 USA Playboy: Most Fun to Drive Cars for 1990 

1990 USA Motor Trend 1990 Import Car of the Year (2 nd place) 

1990 Japan Best Cars 1989: Best New Model 

1990 Japan Gold Medal: Super Goods of the Year 

1990 Australia Modern Motor: Best Car 1989/90 & 

Best Sports Car 1989/90 


1990 Japan Best Car: Grand Prix Exterior 

1990 USA Best and Worst of the Year 1989: Best (one of) 

1990 USA Best of the Decade, Design category 

1990 USA Business Week Best Products of 1989 

1990 Australia Car Australia: Car of Australia 1989 

1990 Australia Wheels Car of the Year 1989 

1990 USA Automobile’s 1990 Automobile of the Year 

(inaugural award) 


1990 Japan Nihon Keizai Shimbun: Design of the Year 

1989 Japan Trendy Goods 1989 Grand Prize (hobby & play category) 

1989 USA Life Hot Products for 1990 

1989 USA Automotive News Coupe of the Year 

1989 Japan Sports Nippon King of Cars Award: Best Sports Car 1989 

1989 Japan 1989 Trendy Goods Grand Prix (hobby & resort category) 

1989 Japan Promoters Cup 1990: My Best Choice 


1989 USA Popular Science Best 100 Products 

1989 Japan First prize, Smash Hit Goods 1989 

1989 USA Motor Trend Top Ten Imported Cars 

1989 USA Road & Track: World’s Best Cars (one of five) 

1989 USA Autoweek: Most Fun, Chicago Auto Show awards 


81

MX-5 IN 

THE MOVIES 

1st 

GENERATION 

MK I 

CODENAMED 

NA 

2nd 

NB 

GENERATION 

MK II 

CODENAMED 

3rd 

GENERATION 

MK III 

CODENAMED 

NC 

BADGE 

BADGE 

BADGE 

CRASH 

Year: 1996 (CDN/UK) 

Director: David Cronenberg 

Starring: James Spader, Deborah 

Kara Unger, Elias Koteas, 

Holly Hunter and Rosanna 

Arquette. 

Story: Crash is a controversial 

film based on a 1973 novel 

by J.G. Ballard about a 

group of people who have 

a sexual fetish for car accidents. 

While driving her 

MX-5 NA, Unger’s character 

(Catherine Ballard) 

ends up being pushed off 

the road and rolls the car. 

FORZA MOTOR- 

SPORT 4 & 5 

offer a choice of various 

MX-5 generations and 

special models, including 

concept cars like the 

Superlight Version. 

A SCANNER DARKLY 

Year: 2006 (USA) 

Director: Richard Linklater 

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Winona 

Ryder, Woody Harrelson, 

Robert Downey Jr. and 

Rory Cochrane 

Story: Based on the novel by 

Philip K. Dick, the film 

deals with identity and 

deception in a near-future 

dystopia plagued by 

a drug addiction epidemic 

and constant monitor ing 

via high-tech police surveillance. 

Ryder’s cha r- 

acter (Donna Hawthorne) 

drives an MX-5 NB. 

MACGRUBER 


Director: Jorma Taccone 

Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, 

Ryan Phillippe and 

Val Kilmer 

Story: Based on a Saturday Night 

Live skit poking fun at 1980s 

TV drama MacGyver, Forte 

plays ex-special operative 

MacGruber who tracks 

down his arch-nemesis 

Dieter Von Cunth. In the 

film, MacGruber’s prized 

possession is his red MX-5 

NA, complete with person a 

lised California license plate 

and removable tape deck. 

The stuff of fantasies: video games give 

anyone the chance to drive their favourite 

cult or sports cars. Being both, the MX-5 

is rather well represented in the gaming 

world. Live the passion with Forza Motorsport, 

Gran Turismo, Need for Speed, 

Project Gotham Racing, Ridge Racer 

and many more. The opportunities are 

practically unlimited when it comes to 

choosing race courses and landscapes or 

customising the virtual roadsters. 

And you don’t even need a licence! 

LOOPER 


Director: Rian Johnson 

Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph 

Gordon-Levitt and 

Emily Blunt 

Story: In the year 2074, 

“loopers” are sent into 

the past by organised 

crime bosses to assassinate 

their enemies. 

One looper decides 

to use time travel to 

change the course of 

the future. Joe, played 

by Gordon-Levitt, 

drives a red MX-5 NA. 

MX-5 

IN VIDEO 

GAMES 

NAMCO’S RIDGE RACER 

FULL SCALE 

Alongside its Ridge Racer video game 

released in 1993, Namco also came up 

with a full-scale arcade version. Players 

actually sat in a real MX-5, using the 

steering wheel, pedals and gearshift to 

control a vehicle projected on to the 

triple front screen. The gauges worked 

and wind came out of the vents, with 

surround sound adding to the realism 

of the driving experience. Players could 

even “bring” along a passenger. 

Forza pictures: © Microsoft Deutschland; All games: registered trademarks 


Reborn: Known 

as the Miata in 

North America 

and Eunos 

Roadster in 

Japan 

WHEELS 

Rollin’: The 

14-inch wheels 

and tires were 

as lightweight 

as possible and 

very British 

looking, too 

GEAR 

SHIFT 

Nothing 

standard about 

it: The short, 

direct strike 

made changing 

gears a joy 

STEERING 

WHEEL 

The centre of 

the three-spoke 

Momo leather 

wheel was removable 

for a rawer 

racing ambiance 

HEAD- 

LIGHTS 

Sign of the 

times: Pop-up 

headlamps 

were a musthave 

for sports 

cars in the late 

1980s 

BLINKERS 

UNWAVERING: 

THE SIDE 

SIGNAL LIGHT 

BLINKERS ... 

Sleeky clean: 

The MX-5 

badge was 

simple, modern 

and stylish 

WHEELS 

Bigger power, 

bigger feet: 

15-inch wheels 

were now available 

with 16-inchers 

arriving in 2001 

GEAR 

SHIFT 

Business as 

usual: Still a 

target for acclaim 

with super fast 

throws and 

minimal ankle 

movement 

STEERING 

WHEEL 

World famous: 

The airbagequipped 

steering 

wheel was 

supplied by none 

other than Nardi 

of Italy 

HEAD- 

LIGHTS 

Fixed: Oval 

headlamps 

reduced weight 

and improved 

aerodynamics 

... ARE ONE 

MX-5 DESIGN 

ELEMENT ... 

Spyder style: 

Retro chrome 

emblem alludes 

to sports cars 

of the 1950s 

WHEELS 

Growing and 

growing: 17-inch 

wheels can be 

had with the 

160PS 2.0-litre 

GEAR 

SHIFT 

Common 

knowledge: 

The MX-5 had 

become the 

benchmark for 

gearshifting 

STEERING 

WHEEL 

At your fingertips: 

Steering 

wheel audio 

controls put 

the driver in 

even better 

control 

HEAD- 

LIGHTS 

Compelling look: 

The slimline projector 

headlamps 

were available 

with xenon bulbs 

... THAT 

HASN’T 

CHANGED 

IN 25 

YEARS.

MX5-Jubilee-Magazine

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